Why do mosquitoes drink blood? What makes them attracted to you?

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Weather forecasters expect the current run of hot weather to continue into next month, with long-range predictions of above-average temperatures. With the Government soon to repeal Covid restrictions for the last time, people can enjoy activities they couldn’t a few months ago. But mosquitoes, one of the most reviled aspects of the season, will soon debut alongside them.

Why do mosquitoes drink blood?

Mosquitoes aren’t as prolific or dangerous in the UK as they are in other, warmer countries.

Each of the UK’s 34 species will have different breeding patterns, but they often last months on end.

Their waking times also differ, with some active in the early morning and others during dusk or night.

Regardless of the time, however, they need the warm environment provided by the summer.

Only the female members of the species need to drink blood, which they use for reproduction.

The protein helps them to develop eggs, and the insects lay up to 200 at a time.

Male mosquitoes exclusively drink nectar, which females can also drink if they choose.

What makes mosquitoes attracted to you?

Some people may find themselves attacked by mosquitoes more than others.

Being a regular feeding ground doesn’t necessarily mean they have more delicious blood, however.

Mosquitoes choose their prey based on the clothing they wear, their temperature and more.

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According to Rentokil, the insects have “fragmented” vision that makes high contrast clothing more appealing.

These types of clothing will help them identify people between 20 and 30 feel of them.

Lower-contrast clothes should make people tougher to pick out when mosquitoes are on the prowl.

Mosquitoes also like people who produce an excess of some chemicals.

They like a preponderance of lactic acid and universal donor blood type O.

The insects also use carbon dioxide emissions produced by living beings to find targets.

Their primary prey, vertebrates, all produce CO2 while breathing, and some do more than others.

Metabolic rates dictate how much CO2 people produce, and pregnant or overweight people tend to have the highest.

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