Interior Fun

What Attracts Mosquitoes to Your House

Mosquitoes are a common nuisance during the summertime. In addition to irritating bites, they can also transmit diseases like West Nile virus. While there are many factors that influence whether or not mosquitoes will target your house, there are some things you can do to make your home less attractive to these pests.



Body Heat

Mosquitoes are attracted to the heat of your body, and they can sense it from up to 50 meters away. That’s why you’re more likely to get bitten around your ankles and feet – because they’re the parts of your body that generate the most heat.

There are a few things you can do to reduce the amount of heat you generate and make yourself less attractive to mosquitoes. Try wearing light-colored clothing, which reflects sunlight and dissipates heat more easily than dark colors.

You can also avoid exercising outdoors during peak mosquito hours (between dusk and dawn), and stay in cooler environments as much as possible.

Carbon Dioxide

There are many factors that can attract mosquitoes to your house, including the presence of carbon dioxide. Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide because it is a signal that there is a potential host nearby. The more carbon dioxide you produce, the more likely mosquitoes are to find and bite you.

person with red lipstick and black mascara

There are a few things you can do to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide you produce and make your yard less appealing to mosquitoes:

  • Limit outdoor activities in the evening and early morning when mosquitoes are most active.
  • Avoid wearing scented products, such as perfumes and colognes.
  • Avoid drinking alcohol, which increases your production of carbon dioxide.
  • Open windows and doors to allow fresh air in instead of using air conditioning or fans.
  • Install screens on your windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.

Dark Colors

Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors because they emit heat, which is what the mosquitoes are looking for. Mosquitoes are able to see infrared radiation, and so they are naturally drawn to darker colors because they emit more heat than other colors. This is why you will often see mosquitoes swarming around people who are wearing black clothing or sitting in the sun.

Sweat and Lactic Acid

Mosquitoes are attracted to sweat because it contains chemicals that are attractive to them. The most important chemical in sweat that mosquitoes are attracted to is lactic acid. Lactic acid is produced when muscles produce energy. Mosquitoes can smell lactic acid from a long distance away. They are also drawn to other chemicals in sweat such as ammonia and urea.

Water

Mosquitoes are attracted to water because they need it to breed. Eggs laid on dry land will not hatch, but eggs deposited in water will hatch into larvae within a few days. The larvae live in the water and eat tiny aquatic organisms. They grow quickly and metamorphose into pupae, then finally into adult mosquitoes. So, even if you don’t have standing water around your home, mosquitoes can still be a problem if they’re breeding in a nearby pond or stream.

Nectar

Nectar is an important part of a mosquito’s diet. They use it as their main source of energy, and it is what allows them to breed. Female mosquitoes need nectar to produce eggs, and the more nectar they have, the more eggs they will lay. Male mosquitoes also feed on nectar, but they don’t need it to breed.

selective focus photography of pink petaled flower

Mosquitoes are attracted to nectar because of its sweetness. They can detect it from a long distance away, and they will fly towards it until they find the source. Once they find a flower with nectar, they will land on it and start drinking.

Blood

Mosquitoes are attracted to blood because it is a source of protein for the developing larvae. The adults need blood for energy to fly and reproduce. Although mosquitoes will feed on other sources of sugar, such as nectar, they are especially drawn to human blood.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many things that can attract mosquitoes to your house. While some of these things, like standing water, are easy to fix, others, like your scent, are not. However, by taking the necessary precautions and using mosquito repellent, you can keep these pesky insects away.

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