How to stop mosquito bites

Summerisagreattimeofyear–but,unfortunately,it'snotjustushumansthatenjoyit.Mosquitosseemtomakethemostoutoftheseasonbybitingus,andaswellasbeingannoying,mosquito-bornediseasescanbedangerous.Whatcanwedotoavoidgettingbitten?

Themostobviousansweristousemosquitorepellent.ProfessorJamesLoganfromtheLondonSchoolofHygieneandTropicalMedicineexplainsthatDEET,thechemicalusedinmanyrepellents,confusestheinsects'senseofsmell,makingitdifficulttorecognisehumans.Thoughbecareful–asbiologistRogerEritjapointsout–anybitsofskinthataren'tcoveredbyrepellentarestilllikelytogetbitten.Loganalsorecommendsusingplug-ininsecticidestokillorrepelmosquitosintheroom.However,itmightbebesttoavoidusingelectricbugzappers.DanielMarkowskifromtheAmericanMosquitoControlAssociationhighlightsthatmosquitosareonlyasmallproportionofthenumberofinsectstheykill,andthatmanyoftheothersarebeneficial.

Clothingisanotherconsiderationthataffectswhethermosquitoschoosetoattackus.AmyGlover,writingintheHuffingtonPost,tellsusthatdarkcoloursattractmosquitos.JamesLoganaddsthatlooseclothingispreferableasitisharderformosquitostobitethrough–they'reevenabletopenetratejeansiftheyareworntightly.

Light,looseclothingalsomeanspeoplesweatless.A2019studyshowedthatmosquitosareabletousethesmellofhumansweattofindtheirvictims.ThisiswhyHomeseditorKatieMortramrecommendstakingashowerbeforebedtoavoidgettingbitten.Anotherwaytostopthesmellofyoursweatattractingmosquitosistousedeodoranttodisguisethesmellofyoursweat.MasieVollans–aresearcherintomosquitoecology,pointsoutthatacompoundfoundindeodorantshasbeenshowntostopmosquitoslandingontheskin.

Whatweeatanddrinkmayalsohaveanimpactonhowattractivewearetomosquitos.Vollansmentionstwostudiesthatfounddrinkingbeerandeatingbananascanmakepeoplemoreattractivetomosquitos.

So,aswellasusingrepellentsandinsecticides,thinkingaboutourclothing,reducingoursweatandchangingwhatweeatanddrinkcouldhelptoreducetheriskofmosquitobites.

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