Why do mosquitoes bite some people more than others

Do you get bitten by mozzies every summer and wonder why you? A researcher from the United States explains what the insects like.

It’s the question the person who ends up being the one covered in bites every summer wants to know.

Why do mosquitoes bite some people more than others?

While there’s not a definitive answer, scientists certainly have their theories after decades of trying to find out why.

American entomologist Dan Kline, a researcher based in Florida who studies flies and mosquitoes, told the ABC that back in the 1990s he experimented by taking off his four-day-old smelly socks to present to mosquitoes after being inspired by the smell of Limburger cheese.

“It was the best response we ever saw,” he said.

It turns out, the cheese has similar bacteria to what’s between your toes.

Mosquitoes can smell carbon dioxide from 10 to 50 metres away.

Over his years researching, Dr Kline also found some volatile chemicals that people give off protect them from mosquitoes.

He once had a colleague who exuded relatively high amounts of a chemical that blocked mosquitoes’ sense of smell.

“Her ratio of this compound compared to other compounds was higher,” Dr Kline said.

The carbon dioxide you breathe out and your body heat is also attractive to mozzies, meaning a complex combination of these things will determine if you get bitten.

Differences in genetics and the cosmetic products you use could also be a factor.

Some people may also get bitten and not notice it due to their skin’s reaction, which may make others think they are being unfairly targeted in the same environment.

So why are you a mozzie magnet? Well, there’s more than one answer – but maybe they think you smell good.