Mosquito Attractants You Didn't Know About

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and there's not a single rain cloud in the sky — ah, it must be summer! The moment the warm sunny season starts, pink flamingo pool floats come out of hibernation, flip-flops become the shoe-of-choice, and the smell of perfectly barbecued meat fills the air.

If you're anything like us, summer is, without a doubt, your favorite season. From pool parties and camping trips to beach days and picnics at the park, who doesn't love the summertime? Sure, the fall is kind of cool, and everyone loves an occasional snow day in the winter, but when it comes to the superior season, summer takes the cake as the best of the best. 

That being said, while there's really not much to complain about during the warm summery months of the year, if we could change one thing, it would be all of the pesky mosquitoes that enjoy the summertime, too. 

Like most icky bugs, mosquitoes are cold-blooded, and they thrive during the warmer, more humid months of the year. That's why there's always an influx of the little bloodsucking vampires thirstily buzzing around you and your loved ones during cookouts and other summer activities. 

In addition to noticing these winged beasts in surplus when the weather gets warm, you may have also noticed that they tend to gravitate towards some unlucky souls more than others. Or perhaps it's your own flesh that the biting bugs seem to not get enough of. What gives?

Just like how you may have diehard opinions on chocolate over vanilla ice cream, there are certain things that mosquitoes love to snack on most. The buzzy fliers are attracted to more than just your blood. 

Curious about playing bug-keep-away? The Natural Patch Co. can help!

Read on to discover everything you need to know about mosquitoes and what they are attracted to. 

How To Romance a Mosquito 

Unlike your S.O., who enjoys getting wined and dined while listening to the sweet sounds of Marvin Gaye next to the flickering light of a crackling fire, mosquitoes are not that easy to romance. To charm these dainty bugs, you need to pull out all the tricks. That means understanding what they are attracted to.

Like a moth to a flame, mosquitoes are drawn in by certain things, such as:

Blood Type 

There are four main blood types, and they all give off a distinct scent. Similar to how you might prefer the smell of peppermint over lavender, mosquitoes have a preference, too. And according to research, the preferred scent (or blood type) that tends to bring all the skeeters to the yard is none other than Type O blood — aka the universal blood type. 

So, to all you Type O's out there, make sure you keep yourself extra protected from the biting bugs to avoid itchy bites and the potential to get a mosquito-borne illness. Wear long-sleeved clothing and use our all-natural Mosquito Repellent Patches, unless, of course, you want to go speed dating with multiple hungry critters — you're just their type!

Alcohol 

It turns out you're not the only one who loves the sound of a cold beer getting cracked open on a crisp summer night. Unfortunately, yes: the winged monsters are attracted to beer and soda, so drinking these carbonated beverages can put a bullseye on your back. Weird, right? We thought so, too, until we checked out the science to back up this claim. 

You see, when you pop open a can of beer or soda, a burst of carbon dioxide gets released into the air, and as the additional bubbles fizz, even more, carbon dioxide gets released into the air. While this carbon dioxide can make a beverage undeniably refreshing for us, it can create a scent trail that leads the hungry insects directly to us. 

If you plan on drinking a fizzy beverage, don't forget to protect yourself with mosquito repellent— like BuzzPatch!

Non-woven fabric patches infused with a powerful combination of essential oils that are perfectly safe for your kids, our all-natural mosquito repellent patches are made without any harsh chemicals or gross ingredients.

And unlike topical bug sprays that use DEET or Picaridin, BuzzPatch is not only super easy to apply but as kind to the environment as it is to our skin~

Body Odor 

A combo of icky bacteria and stinky sweat creates a not-so-pleasant scent on the skin that skeeters simply can't get enough of, but your loved ones probably don't feel the same way. In case you haven't caught on, we're talking about B.O.

Bacteria live on the skin. And when it mingles with sweat, it creates that oh-so-delicious scent known as body odor which happens to be super attractive to mosquitoes. If you know you're going to be outside (especially during the dog days of summer), do yourself a favor, and take a refreshing shower to wash all the yuck off your body.

Fragrances 

Fragrances, cologne, and scented lotions are well-known to attract mosquitoes — particularly floral scents. If you're planning on heading outside, avoid washing with fragranced body washes and stay far away from flowery body lotions and perfumes. 

Want to get serious about avoiding itchy bites from mosquitoes? Consider swapping to unscented body washes and lotions. Or, look for one that's infused with citronella essential oil…  aka, a mosquito arch-nemesis.  

The light-citrusy scent has been used for years to repel mosquitoes effectively. That's why we infuse the kid-friendly essential oil into our non-woven patches to keep the biting bugs far away, naturally. 

Time To Breakup — It’s Not You, It’s Me

Catching the attention of a mosquito can sometimes be a whole lot easier than attracting the cutie down the hall. All you need is to serve Type O blood, provide a little booze, and smell like flowers while also emitting a stinky body odor (yum).

That being said, a relationship with a mosquito can be pretty one-sided, so if you're ready for a breakup, it's time to bring out the big guns — BuzzPatch. 

We know that hungry skeeters are after our scent, so what better way to kick them to the curb than masking our delectable aroma with something they are undoubtedly repulsed by? 

Here at The Natural Patch Co., we know what these little vampires hate most: The light citrusy scent of citronella oil. To keep the icky insects at bay, we created BuzzPatch with a powerful combination of kid-friendly essential oils like citronella oil, designed to confuse mosquitoes and hide your kids from their senses. 

For itch-free days and nights, tell the buzzy fliers that you've had enough and check out our all-natural mosquito repellent patches today. Non-toxic and DEET-free, say goodbye once and for all — naturally.  

Sources:

Landing preference of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) on human skin among ABO blood groups, secretors or nonsecretors, and ABH antigens | Pub Med

Beer and 6 other reasons Zika mosquitoes may want to take a bite out of you | CBS News

Study explains equal attraction of mosquitoes to flowers and humans | News Medical Net

Where do mosquitoes go in the winter? | Central Mass Mosquito Control Project