Mosquitoes prefer beer drinkers

Why female mosquitoes prefer beer drinkers

07/21/2013

Thanks to the damp early summer months, there are significantly more mosquitoes and biting insects this year than in previous years. Who is traveling without mosquito protection in the forest and meadow, often makes acquaintance with the tormentors. But why are some stung more and others less often??

Only female animals sting
So many a trip into the countryside is currently disgusted by too many stinging mosquitoes. It is only the female animals that sting, because they need the proteins from the mammalian blood to be able to lay their eggs. Popularly, there are many true and false answers to the questions of how and why mosquitoes choose this or that person. There is sometimes talk of sweet blood or that light attracts mosquitoes. In recent years, many experiments have shown that several factors play a role.

Beer breath attracts mosquitoes
It showed that mosquitoes, like other insects, are extremely sensitive to carbon dioxide. Using sensors on their reshaped mouthparts they can register CO2 and fly to where they are „breathing, potential victim“ perceive. They are able to locate the gas over a distance of over 50 meters. So if you do not just go for a walk, but sit outside in the beer garden or for a picnic, you can assume that the mosquitoes will visit you sooner or later. It is aggravating that one exhales more carbon dioxide after the consumption of beer or high-carbohydrate foods and that attracts the pests even more.

Mosquitoes like feet
One and a half years ago, Niels O. Verhulst from the Dutch University of Wageningen reported on another experiment. Accordingly, he put forward the hypothesis that, above all, the body odor is decisive for who choose the bloodsuckers. He concluded this after observing that mosquitoes are particularly fond of stinging feet. So he examined the skin of volunteers and determined the types of bacteria that settled on their feet. Verhulst found that those who had fewer species but a larger population were stung more, because then the smell that bacteria produce by transforming human sweat is even clearer and stronger. It could also be shown that the stitching rate could be significantly reduced by regular washing with antibacterial soap.

Blood group 0 is preferred
For some people, however, even the most intensive hygiene and the best means of protection do not seem to work. This could be due to their blood, because mosquitoes perceive not only the carbon dioxide fumes but also the blood type of humans. Almost ten years ago, this has been proven by Japanese researchers. They came to the conclusion that the insects especially coveted people with the blood group 0. Although the mosquitoes would not be able to perceive the blood group through their veins and skin, other signals could tell them that blood feature. According to the scientists, the blood group is also found in certain antigens that secrete some people in bodily fluids, such as sweat. Such people are called „Sekretore“ designated. „Sekretore“ Therefore, mosquitoes were twice as likely to fly with blood group 0 than those with blood group A.

Whimsical scientific ideas
In order to be left alone by the bloodsuckers in nature, humans would have to change their blood type, stop breathing, sweat, eat carbohydrates or artificially breed a greater variety of skin bacteria. Since all this is not possible, some mosquito researchers come to similar bizarre considerations. So one idea is to manipulate mosquitoes so genetically that their fine sensory sensor no longer works. Scientists would seek mosquitoes „blind“ for carbon dioxide.

Natural home remedies
Those who do not want to wait for the mosquitoes to change their genes, or prefer to use chemical nuggets, and still enjoy their stays in nature as undisturbed as possible by mosquitoes, should be advised to take natural home remedies for mosquitoes. There are about alternative means such as cloves and lemons. Helge Siemens, non-medical practitioner from Hannover says: „The fragrance of the two natural remedies do not like mosquitos at all.“ If the mosquitoes have stabbed, it can lead to an itchy rash. Then it helps to cool the skin against itching with water. (Ad)