Summer has not only brought sunshine but a hoard of annoying pests like mosquitoes as well. A well-known foe, mosquitoes are notorious for putting a dampener on the mood. However, there have been times when some people are spared by them. Why is that? That might be due to the certain coloured clothes they are wearing. Colours have the ability to attract or repel these pests. A study published in the journal Nature Communications reveals how to really avoid being bitten in summer.
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Mosquitoes love red, orange or black
Researchers at the University of Washington in the United States revealed the importance of the colours of our clothes in avoiding being bitten by mosquitoes. But how did these researchers come to this discovery? In a research project on this subject, the specialists looked at three species of female mosquitoes, as only females need blood for reproduction. They then created a tunnel imitating human skin and placed different shades of colour on it to observe what happened.
Very quickly, the researchers realised that the mosquitoes were particularly attracted to the colour of human skin combined with red, orange and black. White, green, purple and blue were not favoured by the mosquitoes and are therefore recommended colours for a peaceful summer night.
Other reasons mosquitoes might love you
There are a number of other factors that go into understanding why mosquitoes tend to bite. It has been shown that these insects are more attracted to type O blood than others. Sweat is also a reason why mosquitoes bite. Human sweat contains lactic acid, which mosquitoes are particularly fond of.
Scientists advise people to use mosquito repellent and to be vaccinated, if necessary when travelling to certain countries where these insects can carry many diseases. Now that you know everything, you're all set for this summer!
This article is translated from Oh!MyMag FR.
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