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Dam Mosquitoes!
Only female mosquitoes bite because they need blood, not for food, but to produce eggs.

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BJP leader attacked in Ballia during Panchayat.

Outer content: Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra wins at the World Athletics Champion.

Almost 50 people killed in suicide blast in Pakistan.

BJP leader attacked in Ballia during Panchayat.

Outer content: Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra wins at the World Athletics Champion.

Almost 50 people killed in suicide blast in Pakistan.

imc-web desk

Choosy Feasters

Do mosquitos prefer a certain blood type? Maybe—but it’s not just one factor that influences why these winged pests are attracted to us and researchers can’t seem to agree on a definitive answer.
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who return from time in the outdoors covered in itchy mosquito bites and those who can spend hours in the same space and avoid getting bitten at all. Let's face it, mosquitoes are not equal opportunity feasters.
So, what exactly makes some people more attractive to mosquitoes than others?

Why male mosquitoes leave human alone?

Males are hopelessly bad at finding humans and lack a specialized stylet to pierce your skin.
It appears that both mosquito sexes share the same neurons and brain structures needed to find humans, but that this hardware is hidden in the male mosquito brain, locked behind a simple genetic switch,

Why the female feed on blood?

Only female mosquitoes bite because they need blood, not for food, but to produce eggs. The female mosquito locates its target/victim (the human being) by its eyesight as well as by special antennas that it possesses and these are the few discovered factors by which mosquitoes chose their prey:
Mosquitoes are more attracted to darker clothes so wearing half-sleeved clothes / short clothes can give more surface area for biting. Aedes, a species of mosquito that is responsible for causing dengue, prefers to bite on the hands rather than the legs. Compared to this, Anopheles species of mosquito that are responsible for causing malaria prefer to bite on the legs.
Alcohol consumption leads to an increase in body heat, increased body metabolism, and increased sweating. All these factors favor increased attraction to female mosquitoes.
The mosquito antennas are also sensitive to the level of carbon dioxide present in the air. Hence, those who have more metabolism and are producing more carbon dioxide in their exhaled air attract more mosquitoes.
The antennas present with the female mosquito are heat-sensitive. They can detect temperature fluctuations as small as 1 degree Celsius from a far distance. Humans who have more heat generated in their bodies are more prone to attract mosquitoes.
Humans with the blood group attract more mosquitoes compared to other blood groups. It is speculated that blood group-specific chemicals are released into the skin of humans which attract the mosquitoes.
Pregnancy hormones lead to more metabolism and more heat production in the body. Enhanced heat production combined with an increase in body temperature leads to increased attraction for the female mosquito.