A local entomologist said mosquitoes can be easily fooled, simply by changing your clothes or wearing scented lotion.
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For those prone to being bitten, attire, body heat, and odors have a lot to do with it, said Dawn Flynn, curator of life sciences at the Schiele Museum in Gastonia.
“They say don’t wear black because it will absorb heat,” she said. “Darker colors tend to attract insects. Wear lighter colors.”
Mosquitoes are also attracted to bodily odor, particularly on the skin. She recommends wearing scented lotion to mask any odor, making it harder for mosquitoes to find skin.
How do you know if you’re a mosquito magnet?
Flynn said some people produce more carbon dioxide than others, and are more likely to attract mosquitoes because of it.
“If you’re going to be more active, if you’re running in the woods, or exercising, you’re probably going to draw more,” she said.
And drinking beer can increase your chances of getting bitten by mosquitoes, according to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
It found that more mosquitoes landed on people after ingesting beer than before they drank.
Dr. Randall Gehlewith CaroMont Family Medicine in McAdenville said ethanol in alcoholic drinks is secreted in sweat, and attracts mosquitoes.
He’s also noticed that blood type plays a role in whether or not a person attracts more mosquitoes.
For instance, he said people with Type O blood, known as the “universal blood type,” are usually prone to being bitten more because there are no antibodies in the blood, and mosquitoes prefer sucking it over other types.
In the past two weeks, he’s seen a few people treated for infections from scratching mosquito bites. He said the scratching causes abrasions and bacteria in the skin.
He recommends holding ice to the bites to decrease swelling.
You can reach Wade Allen at 704-869-1828 or twitter.com/GazetteWade.