They sometimes come to disturb our long summer evenings: mosquito He is often afraid of high temperatures. Lemongrass, essential oils, candles… There are many tips to avoid as much as possible bites. Problem: They are not always successful!
What if there was a particularly effective gesture to protect yourself? This is suggested by a study published in February 2022 in the journal Nature Communications. Conducted by researchers at the University of Washington (USA), it reveals that certain colors especially attract mosquitoes. Thus, avoiding wearing clothes in these colors will reduce the risk of stings.
For the purposes of this work, the scientists analyzed the behavior of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, a type of mosquito that is capable of transmission. Chikungunyadengue fever and Zika. They explained that before biting, these insects are first attracted to specific odors, such as the smell of carbon dioxide from human breath. These scents will then affect the mosquito’s reaction to certain visual cues.
After the carbon dioxide was diffused, the researchers found that mosquitoes remained indifferent to colors such as green, purple, blue, and white. On the contrary, they were drawn to colors such as red, orange, black and cyan. The researchers also explained that human skin gives off a red signal to mosquitoes. (…)
