Do mosquitoes like blood type O the most? These 5 types of people are their favorites!

Author: Meng Yao, Ph.D., Doctor of Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University

Reviewer: Xu Min, deputy chief physician, Zhu Xianyi Memorial Hospital, Tianjin Medical University

What is the most annoying thing in summer? If I were to choose one, I would choose mosquitoes.

When you are immersed in a beautiful dream, it not only bites off one "big bag" after another on your body, but also "buzzes" around your ears to provoke you, which makes you crazy.

At this time, many people cursed the hateful mosquitoes and couldn't help but wonder: "Why do mosquitoes like to bite me so much?" Is it true that, as people say on the Internet, mosquitoes like to bite people with type O blood and white skin? They also like to bite people who love sweets?

Are there any scientific basis for these claims? In fact, the reason why mosquitoes bite people is not that simple. Today, we will uncover the truth about mosquito bites and help you stay away from mosquito "harassment" in the future!

01

Myth: Mosquitoes prefer to bite people with type O blood

Analysis: This statement does not have sufficient scientific basis.

Many people believe that people with blood type O are the favorites of mosquitoes because their blood is sweeter or easier for mosquitoes to smell. But in fact, there are four main blood types: A, B, O, and AB. Generally speaking, blood type is determined at birth and will not change throughout life.

First of all, blood type identification usually requires going to the hospital for professional blood type testing, and it is probably unlikely for mosquitoes to directly identify our blood type from a few meters away from us.

Secondly, there is no obvious difference in the odor and immune response of people with different blood types, and their attractiveness to mosquitoes is equally high.

02

Myth: Mosquitoes prefer to bite people with fair skin

Analysis: This statement is rather outrageous.

Many people believe that people with fair skin are more likely to be bitten by mosquitoes because their skin is more tender or easier for mosquitoes to see.

But in fact, mosquitoes have a weak ability to perceive color and do not choose their prey based on skin color. Moreover, people with white skin do not necessarily have tender skin. There are other factors that affect their chances of being bitten by mosquitoes.

03

Myth: Mosquitoes like to bite people with a sweet tooth

Analysis: There is some truth to this, but many people believe that people who eat sweets will have more sugar in their blood, thereby attracting mosquitoes. This statement is not accurate.

In fact, mosquitoes do not choose who to bite based on how much sugar is in the blood. Many people who like to eat sweets are overweight, and people with a large body weight sweat more and generate more heat. In other words, people who eat sweets often eat a lot of sugar, and when the sugar is metabolized, a lot of heat is generated, the skin temperature is high, and they sweat more, etc. These factors will make mosquitoes more attracted.

In order to understand the biting habits of mosquitoes, we need to know the biological characteristics of mosquitoes first. Mosquitoes are divided into male and female sexes, and only female mosquitoes suck blood because they need blood to breed eggs. Male mosquitoes mainly feed on pollen and sap and have a short life span. Female mosquitoes are also the carriers of some infectious diseases, such as dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, etc. Common mosquitoes include Anopheles, Culex and Aedes.

So how do female mosquitoes find their targets? In fact, they mainly rely on their sensory organs to locate, and they are interested in factors such as carbon dioxide (CO2), lactic acid, body temperature, and body odor. These factors can reflect a person's metabolic level and health status. For female mosquitoes, these are important bases for them to choose their bite targets.

5 Types of People Mosquitoes Like

1. People who breathe fast: Because of their fast breathing speed, the concentration of CO2 around them is high, and CO2 is a sensitive signal for mosquitoes;

2. People with high body temperature and a lot of sweating: People with high body temperature and a lot of sweating have a fast metabolism rate, a high CO2 concentration, and some odors in their sweat, which are quite attractive to mosquitoes;

3. People wearing dark clothes: Mosquitoes like dark places. Wearing dark clothes will provide mosquitoes with a "protective umbrella", increasing the chance of mosquito bites;

4. People who use products with fragrances: People who use products with fragrances, such as cosmetics or perfumes, contain certain fragrances and other chemical ingredients. These chemical ingredients are emitted in the air and will also attract the attention of mosquitoes, thereby increasing the chance of being bitten by mosquitoes;

5. Children and pregnant women: Children and pregnant women have higher basal body temperature, exhale more CO2, have faster metabolism, and have tender skin. These characteristics make them the favorites of mosquitoes. Especially pregnant women, before giving birth, exhale about 20% more CO2 than normal people.

4 tips to prevent mosquitoes

Are you a mosquito-attractor? If you are a mosquito-attractor, how can you stay away from them? Don't worry, today I will share 4 ways to help you prevent mosquitoes from invading you.

1. Keep the room dry and clean: clean up stagnant water and debris to eliminate possible breeding grounds for mosquitoes; clean regularly to remove dust and odors; keep the air unobstructed and at a moderate humidity;

2. Pay attention to personal hygiene: take more showers, change clothes more often, brush teeth more often, etc.; avoid using cosmetics or perfumes with overly strong or irritating fragrances.

3. Wear light-colored clothes: Light-colored clothes are not easy to absorb heat and are not easy to make mosquitoes feel dark. You can also wear long sleeves and long pants to cover your skin;

4. Use mosquito repellent products: such as electric fans, electric fans, electric insect killers, mosquito repellents, insect repellent medicines, etc.; you can also use some natural plants or essential oils to repel or kill mosquitoes, such as citronella oil, eucalyptus oil, lemongrass oil, etc.

in conclusion

Mosquitoes will not drool over you just because you have type O blood, nor will they favor you just because your skin is a little whiter than others. They will choose their prey based on their species, habits, surrounding environment, human smell, temperature, clothing and other conditions.

Therefore, if you want mosquitoes to "dislike" you and avoid you as much as possible, regularly remove mosquito breeding grounds, maintain personal hygiene, use mosquito repellent products appropriately, and wear light-colored clothes more often!

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