ISLAMABAD: Which people do mosquitoes bite more? Biologist reveals important facts. With the increase in the number of mosquitoes in the summer season, various home remedies for preventing them also start circulating, including eating garlic, using vitamin B, avoiding bananas and burning citronella candles. However, experts say that there is no strong scientific evidence to support most of these claims.
According to Nosha Keghobadi, a biologist at Western University, only female mosquitoes bite humans because they need nutrients from blood to develop their eggs, which is why humans are an important source of food for them.
He said that mosquitoes rely on body heat, carbon dioxide exhaled from the breath and natural body odor to find their prey. Every person’s body odor is different due to their genetic factors, physical structure and sometimes the food they have recently eaten, which is why some people attract more mosquitoes than others.
The expert said that in some studies on bananas, it was definitely seen that some people became relatively more attractive to mosquitoes after eating bananas, but this effect was not the same for everyone. Some people did not make any difference while some had the opposite effect, so avoiding bananas alone cannot be considered an effective solution.
Similarly, many studies have been conducted on garlic and vitamin B, but so far there has been no strong scientific evidence that their use keeps mosquitoes away. However, some studies have indicated that some people may become more attractive to mosquitoes after drinking beer.
Experts say that the most effective way to prevent mosquitoes is physical protection, such as using a screened porch or mesh shed, wearing full-sleeved clothing and applying quality insect repellent. Mosquito repellent devices that repel mosquitoes in the form of vapors from heat can also be effective, but there is no strong evidence in favor of the effectiveness of citronella candles.
Experts also emphasized that although mosquitoes cause discomfort and some diseases to humans, they are also an important part of the natural ecosystem. Mosquito larvae feed on organic matter and bacteria in the water, while adult mosquitoes feed on dragonflies, fish and other organisms, so they also play an important role in the natural environment.
