Consorting With Mosquitoes

"Those with type-O blood are about twice as attractive to mosquitoes as those with type-
A, with type-B somewhere in the middle."
"Your skin bacteria can have an influence. We all have lots of different skin bacteria, but some are more attractive and [alternately] repulsive to mosquitoes. Heat is also important, so if you're the sort of person who tends to be running a little warmer than others, you probably attract mosquitoes a bit more."
"The classic advice is covering up. Humans are large, warm, and easy to spot. When it's warm, we're wearing shorts, T-shirts, and swimming costumes, so we have this perfect storm of behaviour."
"Darker colour and reds might make you easier to spot because mosquitoes have quite good eyes."
Professor Adam Hart, entomologist, University of Gloucestershire, Britain

"If you're outside at a time of day when insects are particularly active, such as sunrise or sunset, cover your skin wearing loose sleeves and trousers and wear shoes, not flipflops when outdoors."
"The bite causes inflammation, which causes itching. If you scratch it, it'll make the inflammation worse."
"And you may break the skin. The bite is a microscopic puncture, but if you scratch and scratch it then pretty soon you'll open the skin a lot more, and end up with secondary infections. The best advice is always the boring advice: not to scratch."
Dr. Nick Scriven, president, Society for Acute Medicine, UK

Like so much else, your genetics mandate how attractive mosquitoes will find your presence. Anyone who is a secretor ; whose saliva contains their blood type antigens; is more likely to be bitten by mosquitoes. One in five of a population are non-secretors, the lucky ones that don't attract the attention of mosquitoes. Famously it is female mosquitoes who bite to extract blood to enable them to lay their eggs to reproduce.

Sweat enables mosquitoes to detect warmth and chemicals and to track carbon dioxide that mammals exude. Metabolic rate affects susceptibility to mosquito bites; giving off higher levels of carbon dioxide is a guaranteed attractor to mosquitoes. Pregnant women with their higher-than-normal breath rates are consequently more prone to mosquito bites. Resting metabolic rate is raised as well, after drinking alcohol as well as post-exercise.

Avon's Skin So Soft gained a reputation as an effective mosquito repellent due to the citronella it contains. But Professor Hart's professional advice is to use repellents containing DEET, a liquid that people would prefer to avoid, citing its unpleasant odour. The imperative is to prevent mosquito bites "...they are really driven to feed on you. People think, 'Oh, we'll get away with it this time', but you probably won't", advises Dr. Hart.

• DEET
• Picaridin
• IR3535
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
• Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
• 2-undecanone

• Cover up: Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
• Keep mosquitoes outside: Use air conditioning, or window and door screens. If you are not able to protect yourself from mosquitoes inside your home or hotel, sleep under a mosquito bed net.                                                                               Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.

The itchiness can be relieved with the use of antihistamines. Alternatively an ice cube placed directly on the bitten area of the skin serves to soothe the affected area. Also recommended by Dr. Hart is "that old faithful, Anthisan cream and just washing the bite with soap and water". Oil-based "bite ointment", comprised of lavender oil, coconut oil and beeswax has been produced by a number of pharmaceutical companies even though Dr. Hart "can't find any studies" testing lavender oil.

Additionally, Britain's National Health Service warns -- tea tree oil, herbal remedies, garlic and yeast extracts or anti-mosquito buzzers are all a waste of time and money and hope. None of them are known to be effective, despite the glowing promises of efficacy.