They buzz in your ear, give you relentlessly itchy bites, and they are the world's biggest killer. Mosquitoes may go down in history as the worst pest of all time, and a recent study suggests that having a cold one could draw them to you.
The study, from the Journal of American Mosquito Control Association, used human test subjects to determine whether ingesting alcohol would increase the likelihood of bites. Turns out mosquitoes like getting a little tipsy, because after just one beer, there was a significant increase in mosquito landings. They haven't determined what it is exactly about the drink that mosquitoes find so tantalizing, but if you're prone to bites, imbibing at your backyard barbecue could up your chances.
It's possible that other things that sometimes go along with drinking affect are a part of it. Things like movement, an increase in body heat, and carbon dioxide production—burps—can increase their draw as well. Be sure to use repellents and if you need some more protection, trap the nasty little buggers with this plastic bottle trap.
Alcohol ingestion stimulates mosquito attraction | Journal of American Mosquito Control Association via Mental Floss
Photo by James Jordan.
No comments:
Post a Comment