The Science Behind Mosquito Attraction and How to Avoid It
Recent studies show that mosquitoes are attracted to some people more than others due to a scent wafting from substances called carboxylic acids that are present on a person’s skin, caused by bacteria. A new study found that soap can interact with a person’s scent and impact how attractive that scent is to a mosquito. The study found that mosquitos were more attracted to skin when it was washed with some soaps, and less attracted to skin when it was washed with one soap in particular—Native, which is coconut-based. However, the study was small and did not infuse the samples with carbon dioxide, which scientists know is what draws mosquitoes to humans.