Olivia Burke
If you find yourself being unfairly targeted by mosquitoes on a regular basis, science might have the answer for why you're being singled out.
Most people would presume that any human is fair game for the pesky flying insects, but it turns out they can be a lot more picky than we might think.
They don't take a chunk out of just anyone, according to boffins who have conducted years of research into the phenomenon.
In fact, the insects can be quite fussy buggers who pick out specific people as their prey - hence why some of us get to swan around bite-free, while our pals end up covered in itchy, red bumps.
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As well as being annoying, these bites can be dangerous too, as mosquitoes often carry diseases which they can then pass on to us.
Entomology professor Jonathan F. Day recently revealed his hypothesis regarding why some humans are mosquito magnets.
"The amount of CO2 you produce, like people with high metabolic rates - genetic, other factors - increases the amount of carbon dioxide you give off," he said. "The more you give off, the more attractive you are to these arthropods."
Lactic acid, which is the chemical that causes our muscles to cramp, is also likely to pin a target on your back, according to Day.
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As well as this, he says that mosquitoes will likely make a beeline for people who prefer dressing in dark clothing as the insects 'are able to contrast you with the horizon'.
"How you’re dressed matters," Day added. "If you have on dark clothes, you are going to attract more because you’ll stand out from the horizon, whereas those wearing light colours won’t as much."
Body heat is another 'really important tactile cue' for mozzies who are seeking out the perfect candidate, while other experts say people who exercise, drink alcohol, are pregnant or overweight are also prime targets.
But aside from these factors, there's apparently another trait which is attractive to the insects - your blood type.
Scientists suspect that mosquitoes might be able to sense the varying antigens which are present on the surface of red blood cells, depending on your blood type.
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These antigens, also known as proteins, can be 'secreted' by some of us through bodily fluids like saliva or tears - and people with blood type O secrete H antigen, a precursor to A and B antigen, according to Healthline.
Apparently, this is very appetising to mosquitoes, as a host of studies suggest that people with this blood type are the ones who are targeted by the insects the most.
Research conducted in 1974 found that 'mosquitoes preferentially selected hosts of blood group O' after experts recruited 102 participants to investigate what qualities mozzies are attracted to.
A 2004 study then solidified this theory, as it found that 'blood group O subjects attracted more' than any other blood type.
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However, its authors did add: "ABH antigens did not, in general, influence the landing preference of mosquitoes among ABO blood groups."
In further research conducted in 2019, boffins again found that the 'highest preference was observed for the blood group' when they set up various feeders filled with different blood types.
So, sounds like it's hard luck for those who have the blood type O - although a lot of other factors also come into play, too.
However, the pharmaceutical firm Pfizer notes that the 'question of whether mosquitos prefer a certain blood type is controversial'.
It explains: "Separate research notes that experimental and laboratory data evaluating whether blood type makes one person more (or less) attractive to mosquitoes has fuelled a lot of speculation, but the science is contradictory. "Instead, the researchers report that the likelihood of being a 'mosquito magnet' has more to do with skin odours and microbiota than blood type."