Are you one of those people that gets “eaten alive” by mosquitoes? You can’t even step outside in the summer without applying some kind of bug repellent first? If so, count yourself lucky. Yes, you read that right. It may mean that you have a pretty stress free life.
Researchers in the U.K. have been studying why some people seem to attract these little blood suckers and others don’t. They found that people who are stressed out are not as attractive to mosquitoes. Apparently, when a person is stressed, their body produces several chemicals that have quite unappealing scents to mosquitoes. They think these chemicals are produced as a result of oxidation in the body at times of stress. Their theory is that when the mosquito smells these chemicals they will deem the stressed out person as an unfit host or meal. Basically, you stink, so you must be ill or defective or injured or something, which then means that your blood is not of good quality. Female mosquitoes are the ones that bite. Protein from your blood is required for them to produce fertile eggs. It’s evolution at it’s finest.
The findings of this research have been patented and scientists are working with a commercial company to develop these stinky, chemical compounds into a safe and usable insect repellent. They hope to be able to release it to the public in the next couple of years.