Why Are Some People Mosquito Magnets and Others Unbothered?

Why Are Some People Mosquito Magnets and Others Unbothered?
Mosquitoes need to feed on blood in order to reproduce. But how do they choose on whom to feed? Lus Kudritskaya/Shutterstock
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It’s rare to attend an outdoor party in warm weather without hearing people complain about mosquitoes. They swat away, sit in campfire smoke, cover up with blankets, and eventually just give up and go indoors. On the other end of the spectrum, there are plenty of people who don’t seem bothered by mosquitoes in the slightest.

As a medical entomologist who’s worked with mosquitoes for more than 40 years, I’m often asked why some people seem to be mosquito magnets while others are oblivious to these blood-feeding pests buzzing all around them.

Jonathan Day
Jonathan Day
Author
Emeritus Professor of Medical Entomology, University of Florida
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