What Attracts Mosquitoes?

What Attracts Mosquitoes to Humans & Their Homes

Mosquitoes, like most insects, are attracted to the things they need to survive which are food, water, and shelter. Now with that said, mosquitoes feed on a very specific type of meal. Well, at least female mosquitoes do. Female mosquitoes require the blood of a host to carry on the reproduction cycle. What attracts most mosquitoes are typically the things that will lead them too their next meal, so they are drawn towards signals that indicate where their prey is. In addition to certain attractants, mosquitoes are also drawn to ideal conditions for them to survive in. 

Optimal Conditions for Mosquitoes to Thrive

Mosquitoes prefer environments that are warm and humid which is why they are most prevalent in warm climates. They cannot survive in colder temperatures which is when they either die off or become dormant during winter months. Mosquito seasonality starts when temperatures start to climb in late spring and end when the temperatures start to dip in fall. Even during peak seasonality, there are times when mosquitoes will not be out due to extreme daytime temperatures. This is why they prefer to feed at sunrise and sunset when the temperature is optimal for them to be out.

Things That Attract Mosquitoes to Certain People

If you happen to live in a climate that is ideal for mosquito proliferation, there is a good chance that you will have to deal with mosquitoes. There are several things that will draw them onto your property, but if mosquitoes can sense your presence, then they will be attracted to the different signals that they use to find their next meal. The many ways mosquitoes find their prey include:

• Carbon dioxide in your breath: Mosquitoes have evolved to track the carbon dioxide released by humans and animals to find their meal. This means that heavy breathing caused by increased activity can draw in mosquitoes that are hungry for a meal.
• Sweat containing certain smells and pheromones: Mosquitoes are drawn to a variety of different smells including the floral scents that are found in soaps, deodorants, and perfumes as well as naturally occurring body odors and pheromones that are released when a human sweats. Traces of lactic acid, ammonia, and urea produced by human skin and found in your sweat have all been shown to draw in mosquitoes.
• Body temperature: Mosquitoes also use your body heat to find their next meal. Their eyes have evolved to some degree to detect thermal sensory information.
• What you eat and drink: You may not know it, but the foods you eat can impact your body odor so eating certain foods can draw more mosquito attention to you. Alcohol in particular makes your blood especially appealing to mosquitoes that are hungry.
• Color of your clothing: Mosquitoes are attracted to certain bold and dark colors so the clothing that you wear can unintentionally draw in mosquitoes. It is also important to note that thin, tight fitted clothing won’t protect you from mosquito bites so wear loose fitting clothes to prevent mosquito bites.
• Pregnant women: For reasons that are unclear, mosquitoes are drawn towards pregnant women. This could be due to a higher likelihood of having increased body temperatures and respiration.
• Certain blood types: Mosquitoes actually prefer certain blood types over others which make some people much more susceptible to mosquito bites. They are particularly attracted to type O blood.
• Microbiomes: There have been some indicators that individuals with a health skin microbiome with certain microbes were less attractive to mosquitoes. Those that did not have these different bacteria on their skin were more likely to attract mosquitoes.

The above factors make people who exercise outside a particularly appealing treat. People who are active tend to breath heavily while increasing their core body temperature while sweating profusely which will draw in mosquitoes from a distance since they are so easy to locate.

What Attracts Mosquitoes to Your Home and Yard?

Mosquitoes in general will find their way onto your property if the right conditions exist. They will need standing water like ponds or bird baths for the females to lay eggs and continue the life cycle in addition to enough shelter for adult mosquitoes to hide. Mosquitoes prefer taking shelter in dense foliage where they are protected from the heat during the day and from predators like bats at night. Now, not all mosquitoes feed on the blood of humans and animals. This is something that only female mosquitoes need. This is because blood contains the proteins that mosquitoes need to produce their eggs. Male mosquitoes, on the other hand, are attracted to the nectar of flowering plants so having a wide variety of flowers and fruit trees can also attract mosquitoes to your yard. In order to minimize the presence of mosquitoes around your home and yard, it is critical to:

• Reduce any standing or stagnant water or treat bodies of standing water with growth regulators or beneficial animals and bacteria.
• Plant as many natural mosquito deterring plants to offset any flowers and fruit trees that may attract them.
• Clear ground debris including dead leaves, branches, and any other organic material that mosquitoes can use to take shelter.
• Keep tall grass, bushes, shrubs, and trees trimmed to allow sunlight into the plant to decrease potential hiding places.
• Keep clogged gutters and drains clear to prevent the backflow of water and puddles.

By making these small changes, you can help get rid of mosquitoes through prevention and mitigation.

Call EcoGuard Pest Management if You Are Dealing with Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are persistent and can also cause serious problems because they are carriers of various mosquito borne diseases. If you have noticed that mosquitoes are becoming a problem, it is important to contact a professional mosquito control expert to ensure that your property is inspected for problematic areas as well as signs of active mosquito populations. The team at EcoGuard Pest Management has licensed and trained mosquito control experts that can help identify problem areas and devise a plan designed to effectively treat against your mosquito problem. Call today to schedule and inspection to ensure that any mosquitoes are effectively terminated. 

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