Q: Do light-colored clothes repel mosquitoes? A: Unfortunately, light-colored clothing does not repel mosquitoes, but there is an upside to light-colored garments. Light-colored apparel is more difficult for mosquitoes to zero in on — but these colors won't stop mosquitoes from biting you once they spot you.
To avoid getting mosquito bites when spending time outside, make sure to wear clothes made of denim, wool, velvet, and nylon ripstop. Polyester, gingham, and thicker cotton material or cotton blends may offer some protection, but don't be surprised if you still get bites with these materials.
To reduce the possibility of a mosquito biting you, you could consider wearing white, green or blue. Lighter colors are less interesting to mosquitos than darker shades like navy and black, red or orange. However, clothing color alone is unlikely to keep mosquitos away for good.
“The results from the study show that colors like black and red are very attractive, and if you were to wear those colors in your clothes, you would increase your attraction to the mosquito. However, if you were to wear white, or blue and green, you would be much less visually attractive to the mosquito.”
Too much direct sunlight actually dehydrates mosquitoes, which can lead to an untimely death. Given this information, it's likely that mosquitoes can sense a difference between dark and light. Dark colors are more inviting to them, while lighter ones pose a threat.
Wear long, loose clothing in light colors like white, cream, and tan to make yourself less of a mosquito target. Spray insect repellents like DEET or picaridin on your skin to keep mosquitoes away. Use unscented body wash and shampoo to smell less attractive to mosquitoes.
That means people who have a high metabolic rate and emit more carbon dioxide, including those who are pregnant, working out, or drinking alcohol tend to be more attractive to mosquitoes. The question of whether mosquitos prefer a certain blood type is controversial.
Mosquitoes hate the smell of lavender, citronella, clove, peppermint, basil, cedarwood, eucalyptus, peppermint, lemongrass and rosemary. They also hate smells such as smoke, for further insight, see our exploration on, does smoke keep mosquitoes away?
The mosquitoes were most attracted to airborne carboxylic acids, including butyric acid, a compound present in “stinky” cheeses such as Limburger. These carboxylic acids are produced by bacteria on human skin and tend not to be noticeable to us.
A good tip for preventing mosquito bites when outdoors, according to the EPA, is to wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks. And for good measure, tuck them in so that there aren't any gaps where mosquitoes can get through to exposed skin.
Your Feet Stink
The short answer as to why mosquitoes go after feet and ankles is that our feet often carry a strong odor. Yes, stinky feet attract mosquitoes.
Some mosquito species are leg and ankle biters; they cue into the stinky smell of bacteria on your feet. Other species prefer the head, neck and arms perhaps because of the warmth, smells emitted by your skin, and closeness to carbon dioxide released by your mouth.
Fragrances, such as perfume, cologne, and scented lotions are a known attractant of mosquitoes. Floral scents are the biggest attraction for mosquitoes. It turns out those lady mosquitoes love a flowery fragrance. So when you're addressing the issue of body odor, be sure to avoid washing with fragranced body wash.
Study authors concluded that, “DEET and PMD [are] the most effective and longest lasting mosquito repellents currently available.” PMD is found in products containing C. Citriodora (oil of lemon eucalyptus) and the tradenames Citrosynthol, Citrepel and Citriodiol.
The sounds you can choose will have frequencies 8kHz, 10kHz, 12kHz, 14kHz, 15kHz and some more up to 21 and 22kHz, so that you have different frequencies you can try out. Those sounds are also commonly known as “anti mosquito sounds”, however, as we have indicated, their effectiveness isn't scientifically proven.
Mosquitoes use lots of cues when tracking down their meals, like body heat and levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), which tell them that there is a breathing animal nearby. Mosquitos can sense CO2 from almost 30 feet away!
Dragonflies as well as being a natural predator of the mosquito are a fascinating and unique group of insects. Dragonflies are often referred to as "mosquito hawks" for their supposed ability to kill thousands of mosquitoes.
Since coffee grounds have such a pungent and intense smell, mosquitoes do not like to come near it. Mosquitoes are repulsed by all types of coffee, whether it is fresh, used, or burnt. The most effective way to use coffee grounds for mosquito control is by burning them, as it creates a stronger aroma.
Repel Ticks, Bugs and Mosquitos
Many attribute the oils in Vicks in helping to prevent bug bites and ticks from latching themselves onto the skin. Vicks VapoRub contains cedarleaf oil, a mild pesticide which may actually repel insects.
Since you exhale carbon dioxide through your nose and mouth, mosquitoes are especially attracted to your head.
The bottom line is that mosquitoes clearly preferred fruit- and flower-scented soap, and disliked coconut-scented soap. Just how much they prefer a soap scent depends on how the soap interacts with a person's natural body odor, the study showed.
Mosquitoes are turned off by several natural scents: cinnamon, peppermint, cedar, citronella, lemongrass, patchouli, catnip, lavender, and more. Find a favorite, and use it when you want to spend time outside.
Mosquitoes tend to be weak flyers, and the strong breeze from a fan can keep them from landing on you (though you'll need a pretty strong fan speed for it to be truly effective, notes Markowski).