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If you are one of those people who seem to spend your time at an outdoor barbeque swatting at mosquitos while others around you seem unfazed, you may be one of  the unlucky ten percent of the population that are highly attractive to mosquitos.  Mosquitos are attracted to carbon dioxide and lactic acid.  When we breathe we produce carbon dioxide and human perspiration contains lactic acid.

To some extent, mosquitos will be more attracted to people who are perspiring and breathing hard from physical exertion, larger people who naturally exhale more than smaller people, and pregnant women who also put out higher levels of carbon dioxide.

Beyond the carbon dioxide attraction, researchers have found that mosquitos are much more attracted to about one in ten people.  It is not clear yet exactly what it is that attracts mosquitos to these unfortunate few, but it likely has to do with their body chemistry which results in certain elements being found on their skin.  Mosquitos are known to be attracted to steroids and cholesterol found on the skin, and researchers believe that other elements will be identified that are highly attractive to mosquitos.

In addition, drinking as little as one twelve ounce can of beer increases the chances that a mosquito will single you out.  Again, scientists are not clear on why beer drinking attracts mosquitos but it may have to do with changes in slight changes in metabolism due to the alchohol.

Until scientists learn more, if you want to minimize your attraction to mosquitos, avoid outdoor exertion and beer drinking during the hours that mosquitos are most active which are around dusk and dawn.  Or just keep slathering yourself in DEET.