Mosquitoes Love Carbon Dioxide

Do mosquitoes really sense your breath? Absolutely they do. Carbon dioxide, which humans and other animals produce, is the key signal that a mosquitoes potential blood meal is near. Mosquitoes can detect carbon dioxide from as far as 75 feet away. Mosquitoes have developed a keen sensitivity to carbon dioxide in the air. Once a female senses carbon dioxide in its vicinity, she flies back and forth in a zigzag pattern through the carbon dioxide plume until she locates her victim. Mosquitoes detect carbon dioxide in the air, so the more you breath, the more likely you are to become her dinner.

Don't skip that shower, because mosquitoes can smell your sweat too. That's right; bring on the B.O. , the more you smell the easier it is for a bloodsucking mosquito to find you. Drop that deodorant, skip the bar of soap and get ready to start slapping skeeters. Perspiration is the perfect combination of mosquito attractant. Head outdoors on a hot, sticky, summer evening, and work up a sweat. The mosquitoes will thank you. The more you sweat, the easier it is for a mosquito to find you because they are drawn to the smell of the lactic acid as you perspire.