What Type of Blood Attracts Mosquitos?

By Akshay Sharma July 5, 2018 Health

To be honest, the question is a little bit misleading. While your blood type plays a part in determining whether or not mosquitoes will be attracted to you, it is only one contributing factor. Factors such as body temperature, color of clothing, and the makeup of your skin chemistry also play an important role. Keep in mind, however, even if these factors are not in your favor, mosquitoes pest control measures can help to keep the little bloodsuckers at bay.

Why Is Blood Type Significant?

To understand that, you need to understand a little bit about mosquito physiology. It is only the female mosquitoes that drink blood, and they do so because they need protein to produce their eggs. With different blood types available, mosquitoes tend to show preferences. In fact, people with type A blood are only half as likely to be bitten as people with type O blood, according to research. People with type B blood were in the middle, less likely to be bitten than type O but more likely than type A.

How Do Mosquitoes Know Your Blood Type?

Mosquitoes have an extremely keen sense of smell that they rely on heavily in locating prey. Further research has shown that 85% of the human population secretes a chemical that indicates their blood type. Interestingly, regardless of blood type, those who secrete this chemical are proven to be more attractive to mosquitoes than those who do not.

What Other Factors May Come Into Play?

In addition to blood type secretions, mosquitoes are attracted other smells, such as the smell of bacteria on our skin or the compounds that make up our perspiration. Mosquitoes have the ability detect to carbon dioxide, so when we exhale CO2, they follow it back to its source. Some have attempted to take advantage of this by putting up carbon dioxide-emitting traps, but Pest Control Services efforts by exterminators have been shown to be more effective. People who drink beer have been proven to be more attractive to mosquitoes, though scientists are not entirely sure why, and people may be more attractive to mosquitoes while undergoing certain bodily processes, such as pregnancy. Mosquitoes also locate prey by sight and are equipped with heat-sensing vision to detect body heat, so vigorous outdoor exercise can put you at risk. Wearing certain colors of clothing, such as red, black, or navy blue, is alluring to mosquitoes as well.

You cannot, of course, control your blood type, and you have little control, if any, over your secretions. However, there are steps you can take to defend yourself against mosquitoes, such as hiring a San Antonio pest control service to protect your property.