Why do I get bitten by mosquitoes more than others?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
You are not imagining it: mosquitoes hunt by chemical signature - carbon dioxide output first (bigger bodies, exercisers, pregnant women draw more), then skin-bacteria compounds, blood type (O beats A in studies), and even beer and sweat. The trait is stable - the same person gets targeted year after year - and no diet reliably changes it. In disease regions it raises the stakes for repellent discipline: EPA-registered DEET or picaridin, long sleeves at dawn and dusk, no standing water where you stay. Pymander's escalation routing is built and tested specifically for this class of decision; see the safety architecture working paper.
What to do
- Accept the trait, cover the chemistry: EPA-registered repellent on exposed skin.
- Time your exposure: dawn and dusk are peak hunting hours for many species.
- Dress for it: long loose sleeves beat every gadget.
- Get seen if: bites swell hugely, blister, or fever follows bites abroad - skeeter syndrome and travel infections are real.
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