Bloodsuckers

Never mind bears, cougars or other large animals that can kill humans with one swipe of a paw or sweep of an antler. Mosquitoes are one of the biggest pains and threats of the great outdoors, despite being one of the smallest creatures out there. Not only do their “bites” (which are actually needle injections) itch like crazy, they can be potentially harmful to your health if you become infected with the West Nile virus. The most frustrating thing about mosquitoes is that there are literally billions and trillions of them, and that’s only accounting for the Mirror Lake area.
Although mosquitoes are disliked, even loathed, by every human (and most dogs), mosquitoes can’t get enough of us. Without human blood, they can’t breed, thus creating the love-hate relationship that currently exists between the two species. It seems, though, that there are some humans that the mosquitoes prefer over others. I have a friend who never fails to get bitten, whether she is in the mountains or city. On the other hand, I can enter a swarm of the nasty bugs and escape relatively unscathed.
What makes some of us more attractive and tasty than others? Scientists aren’t 100% sure, but they have some good ideas. Mosquitoes can identify their unlucky targets from about 150 feet away. Carbon dioxide, lactic acid (typically produced during intense exercise), movement and heat all attract mosquitoes, so you are more susceptible to attacks after a jog or game of basketball. Unfortunately, that doesn’t take much of us out of the attraction pool, since we all emit carbon dioxide and heat, as well as needing to move from time to time. To avoid attracting mosquitoes the only thing we can do is try not to breathe heavy, keep still as much as possible, and keep cool. Or learn to live underwater.
There are other chemical factors that contribute to a person’s mosquito-tastiness-level, but scientists are hesitant to advise against or condone certain foods. Many of us may have heard that onions, garlic and other foods help keep the pesky bugs away, but these foods still don’t really work for all of us. Apparently genetics are 85% responsible for our natural mosquito attractiveness. Some of us are just born to entice mosquitoes.
For those natural-born mosquito feasts, repellents may be your sole option to turn that love-hate relationship into a pure hate relationship and keep mosquitoes at bay. Repellents come in many forms: sprays, lotions, clothing, candles, torches, etc. Many of us have become accustomed to the pungent odor associated with bug spray, but the scent is a painless trade-off in order to avoid unnecessary scratching and misery. Though a mosquito’s proboscis (needle-sucker-thingy) can sometimes pierce through clothing, long sleeves and long pants can often save you from slathering chamomile lotion all over your limbs. Candles and torches that use citronella as a repellent come in handy when you plan on staying in one place. Citronella is a natural insect repellent and the candles and torches can create a sort of force field around you as long as they remain lit.
Removing the comfort and health risks that mosquitoes pose can change a miserable weekend into a much more memorable one. Plan ahead by wearing clothing that deters mosquito bites and using repellents and you can enjoy the outdoors with almost no disturbance from the horrid little creatures.