The fact that some people are attacked by mosquitoes in swarms, while others are practically ignored, makes us wonder what attracts bloodsuckers. To detect prey, females use all of their receptors. But on what basis do they choose their victims? There is also an opinion that insects treat people differently with different blood compositions. To determine what blood type mosquitoes love, you will have to study a little about the characteristics of both groups and find their differences.
Classification Features
In 1901, scientist Karl Landstein was the first to scientifically prove that human blood comes in several types.
He came up with a classification, which subsequently changed somewhat. Each group differs in the content of a specific antigen. The owners of the first group do not have it at all. Representatives of the second have a protein of a certain category. It is these features that determine the blood levels that female mosquitoes feed on. Among other things, the classification takes into account a set of other substances that determine the biological indicators of residents. In order to answer the question of what blood type attracts mosquitoes, scientists conducted a lot of research with the participation of representatives of different nationalities from all over the world.
Breeding cycle
The mating season of insects begins 2–4 days after the pupa turns into an adult. After communication, the mosquito goes in search of squirrel. To do this, the pest uses antennae focused on the head. With their antennae, insects track:
- Heat generated.
- The aroma of sweat.
- Carbon dioxide released during exhalation.
Understanding how a squeaking mosquito drinks blood is not difficult. After all, many scientists have described this process in detail:
- Once the victim is identified, the mosquito looks for a suitable place to bite. Mosquitoes do not gnaw on thick skin. Insects choose places with pulsating wreaths.
- Next, the mosquito forms holes through its proboscis and releases special substances. The components present in saliva reduce the likelihood of clotting.
- Determining that mosquitoes are full is problematic. After all, the insect eats until it gets completely drunk. The volume consumed by an insect at one time depends on how large its abdomen is.
- Once mosquitoes are fed, they look for places to lay eggs.
Because mosquitoes are especially active in the summer, some people are afraid of them. Children often ask their parents how many mosquitoes it takes to drink all the blood of a person. To calculate everything correctly, you need to know:
- How much lymph does the female consume?
- How many liters of lymph are there in a person?
Scientists have also studied this issue. For a person to die from the loss of protein substance, it takes at least 199–200 thousand insects.
Why do mosquitoes need blood?
Why do mosquitoes drink blood? The fact is that eating animal or human blood is a necessity for female mosquitoes. It is one of the richest nutrient resources. Females need it because it contains a large amount of protein. Protein, in turn, contributes to the reproductive function. Males only need carbohydrate, which they easily find in plant nectars.
Protein contributes to the quality functioning of the egg laying process: it all depends on the quantity and quality of blood drunk.
It's time for the buzzing infection. Scientists have named the main victims of mosquitoes and ticks
The time has come for hot weather, which means all the insects have woken up. Along with harmless butterflies, mosquitoes, midges and ticks have returned, which bring discomfort to people. A snowy winter and a warm spring can lead to a real mosquito infestation. We figured out who suffers more from the bites of blood-sucking insects and how exactly insects choose their victims.
There is a popular myth that mosquitoes choose which person to bite based on their blood type. This fact is not true: blood-sucking insects are attracted not by the blood itself, but by the smell that the human body emits. Most of all, they like people who smell like sweat, Doctor of Biological Sciences Sergei Izhevsky told 360.
“Mosquitoes react to the smell of sweat emitted by a person. If a person works a lot and sweats, then there is a higher chance that he will be attacked by mosquitoes than if the person does not have this smell. This is such a well-known fact, therefore it is necessary to follow all the rules of hygiene and sanitation, in addition to control measures and other known schemes against mosquitoes,” he explained.
The fact is that it is easier for insects to find a person who is actively sweating. Like other creatures, bloodsuckers rely on their senses when choosing a victim, Vadim Maryinsky, an employee of the Department of General Ecology and Hydrobiology of the Faculty of Biology of Moscow State University, told the Sputnik radio station. He emphasized that when choosing a victim for mosquitoes, two factors are important - smell and warmth.
If people are relaxing in a group, the insects will first attack the sweatiest one, but then they will begin to bite others.
“When people walk in a group, for example, through the forest or sit on the veranda drinking tea, then after mosquitoes have already found a group of people, they do not really choose who to bite and who not,” he noted.
Sergei Izhevsky clarified that children are also exposed to mosquito bites, but the insects do not specifically look for them. A child's blood does not have any special substances that would attract bloodsuckers - against the background of a working, sweaty adult, children will not be noticed immediately.
“A child, of course, emits less odors than an adult, who also works. But it is unlikely that some substances are specifically known to be associated with a person’s age,” he clarified.
Who drinks, male or female?
To understand which sex needs blood, it is necessary to study the physiological characteristics and basic needs. Since only mosquitoes are involved in the formation of clutches, they also require protein from the lymph. Male mosquitoes do not feed on blood. They prefer plant juice or nectar from certain flowers. Males differ in the structure of their proboscis and mouthparts.
To understand whether squeaking mosquitoes can drink all the blood, it is necessary to study the mechanism. The insect has a constant need for protein, so mosquitoes suck blood until they are completely saturated with the bloody substance. The pest breaks away from the “healing source” after its abdomen is filled.
What attracts blood-sucking parasites
Mosquitoes do not bite a clean body with the aroma of soap, shampoo, perfume, cologne, or eau de toilette. After some time, bacteria accumulate on the body during natural metabolic processes, which forms its own odor, attractive to mosquitoes. Insects often bite on the legs and ankles, since the smell is most intense in these places.
When breathing, carbon dioxide is formed, which parasites sense several tens of meters away. The more intense the breathing, the more pests will flock together. In parallel with this, against the background of physical activity, the work of the sweat glands increases. The persistent smell creates a unique aura around a person that mosquitoes cannot help but notice. Of particular interest are overweight people, athletes, people engaged in intense physical labor, who do not observe the rules of personal hygiene.
Odors that attract mosquitoes
Lactic acid is another important indicator. Consumption of milk, yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk, ice cream, cheese, and other fermented milk products helps increase its amount. For this reason, mosquitoes are more likely to bite babies.
Interesting!
A glass of beer acts on bloodsuckers as a signal to attack. Mosquitoes can hear the smell from 50 meters away and rush to bite with incredible appetite. But a glass of vodka repels pests several meters away.
Interesting observations
Mosquitoes and blood type are interconnected, but this is not the only criterion by which bloodsuckers determine the ideal victim. The decisive role is played by your own body odor, which is formed by bacteria. There are about a million of them in the body of every person. During the process of life, a certain aroma appears, which attracts parasites.
Frequent victims of midges and midges are people with impaired metabolism, hormonal imbalance, problems in the functioning of the immune and endocrine systems, as well as patients with tuberculosis. A person in whose body processes of decay and the development of oncology occurs repels mosquitoes and becomes unattractive to them.
The body of a pregnant woman is a tasty morsel for bloodsuckers. Frequent breathing, increased metabolism, and hormonal changes lead to the formation of increased levels of carbon dioxide, sweat, lactic acid, and heat. In most cases, parasites try to bite the stomach
Metabolic rate or amount of carbon dioxide (CO2)?
All processes that occur in the body are associated with the release of energy.
Mosquitoes use CO2 as their primary means of identifying what they bite. All vertebrates produce carbon dioxide, which attracts annoying bloodsuckers. You can, of course, reduce the metabolic processes that occur in your body through diet and exercise, but not so much that it makes you invisible to insects.
“The categories of people most vulnerable to bites are large, overweight people, pregnant women and athletes,” says Dr. McIntyre.
After a party in the forest, where a lot of alcohol was drunk, it turns out that the one who was bitten the most is the one who aggravated the already not very pleasant situation with the amount of alcoholic drinks he drank.
It's true. Drinking alcohol increases metabolism in the body, and it becomes more attractive to winged parasites.
What blood type do mosquitoes like?
Let's look into this issue. Once again I would like to clarify that a person has 4 blood groups based on the type of erythrocyte antigens:
- 0 (I);
- A (II);
- B (III);
- AB (IV)
To this we should also add the presence of negative or positive Rh, but in our case this does not matter. What kind of blood do mosquitoes like?
The first research by scientists began in the 70s of the 20th century and has been continued now. According to some scientific studies, pests were most attracted to people with (I) blood type. People with blood group (II) were bitten by mosquitoes half as often. Those with (III) blood group remained more passive to insect attacks.
The body of most people secretes a chemical enzyme through the skin that allows mosquitoes to recognize blood parameters. A small part of the world's population, 15%, does not secrete the chemical enzyme onto the skin.
Genetics is the most important factor determining a person’s susceptibility to bloodsucker bites. Unfortunately, our genes determine our blood type and the chemical composition of our body. Genetics also dictates other factors that can make you an object of attraction for insects in the local population, say foreign scientists.
Lactic acid
Leading American ethologists argue that some chemicals that our body secretes, namely lactic acid, are very attractive to mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes recognize people not only through lactic acid, but also through uric acid and ammonia on the surface of the skin.
Some studies show that people with higher levels of steroids or cholesterol are attracted to blood-sucking insects like a magnet.
Of course, all these factors are individual and none of them is more important in determining a person’s attractiveness to mosquitoes. But it’s still worth listening to. There is no denying the fact that they are attracted to the chemicals we secrete. Therefore, this direction is in demand and relevant as an area of scientific research.
How do mosquitoes drink blood?
Since only females need foreign blood, they are the ones who attack people and animals. Due to different diets, female and male individuals have different oral structures.
Physiological features that help the female drink blood:
- there are six sharp needles on the body.
- To pierce the skin, two of them are used, at the ends of which there are small teeth.
- To get to the blood vessels, the insect launches a kind of pump into the hole made - a very thin and flexible needle. With its help, the mosquito raises blood closer to the surface of the skin.
- The remaining needles are used as spacers to enlarge the hole.
Since the human body is able to quickly clot blood thanks to a certain enzyme, the mosquito needs to take additional measures to pump it out.
The main one is injecting your saliva into the wound, which acts as an anticoagulant. It facilitates the process of drinking blood by neutralizing the aforementioned enzyme, which allows the insect to be properly satisfied.
Please note: it is at this moment that a person feels an unpleasant burning sensation, which may subsequently result in an allergic reaction to the injected substance.
The mosquito’s “tools” are so thin and sharp that it is almost impossible to notice the bite at its very beginning. Usually a person feels discomfort already in the process of pumping out his blood.
Since the mosquito drinks blood to breed, the insect aims to obtain the maximum amount of building material for subsequent reproduction. If the bloodsucker's abdomen is full, it seeks to get rid of excess body fluid.
The first blood group for mosquitoes
Even though mosquitoes bite us all, there are certain favorites that they love the most. These are people with the first blood group. This is the group they love the most. If it seems to you that this is completely wrong, then you can conduct an experiment when two people with the first and fourth groups go out into the street in the evening. There will be many more bites on the body of a first-generation child. And this fact has long been proven. Whatever tactics you choose, this method will still be fully proven.
The least attractive blood types for mosquito bites are the third and fourth groups. It is not really known what exactly this depends on, because if you take into account one and the other blood group, they will be slightly different in composition. For example, it may be a different Rh factor, which determines the presence or absence of protein. This substance somehow affects the composition of the plasma, which as a result can also attract or repel persistent insects.
“Our mosquitoes cannot carry malaria”
– What diseases do mosquitoes spread in the middle zone?
Question answer
Why are mosquitoes dangerous in tropical countries?
– There is such a disease - West Nile fever. People get sick periodically. Every year, several cases are recorded in the Voronezh region alone. Mosquitoes also spread heartworm disease. It is caused by worms. Insects become infected from stray, hunting, and guard dogs. In humans, worms are localized under the skin or in the eyes. The disease is treated with surgery. One or two cases are registered per year in one region. Our mosquitoes do not carry malaria, since we do not have foci of this disease. I note that mosquitoes themselves do not cause malaria. They bite sick people and become carriers. And those cases of malaria that are happening now are imported.
– Is it true that in the first half of the 20th century there was malaria in Central Russia?
– There were pockets of malaria throughout the entire territory of Central Russia until the 1940s. Ponds and lakes were breeding grounds for malaria mosquitoes. In Soviet times, malaria was almost completely defeated. In the areas, ponds were drained, vegetation along the banks was mowed, and the sick were isolated so that they would not be bitten by mosquitoes. Sick people were cured, and there was no one for mosquitoes to become infected with.
Mosquitoes love to bite pregnant women
We have already decided which blood type mosquitoes prefer to drink. But there is also the fact that these insects most often bite pregnant women. What this depends on is also 100% unknown. The only thing that has been proven is that mosquitoes are attracted to the higher body temperature that is observed in a pregnant woman.
Pregnant women also exhale 21% more carbon dioxide than non-pregnant women. Perhaps this is what prompts mosquitoes to bite frequently, regardless of the blood type of a pregnant woman. An important role is played by the body odor of pregnant women, because it also has its own specific shade. This fact has long been proven by scientists to this day in medical and scientific practice.
Perfume won't help
Encephalitis mites also react to human odor. However, this behavior is not characteristic of all insects. Entomologist, Department of Entomology, St. Petersburg State University, senior researcher, candidate of biological sciences Dmitry Musolin told 360 about this.
“Insects and ticks are really very selective about this and will not bite every person. First of all, the smell that comes from the body is important. For example, mosquitoes will not fly to everyone. Maybe the composition of the blood. But this applies only to blood-sucking and arachnids, for example, it does not apply to bees,” he emphasized.
Sergei Izhevsky noted that it is quite difficult to scare insects away from humans - not all smells can have the desired effect. Scientists spent a very long time choosing exactly those substances that could protect people from bites.
“It took a very long time to select a material that repels insects and ticks from humans - the so-called repellent. The drugs found do not include perfumes. Such things are specially selected,” the interlocutor noted.
Most Favorite Blood
As a result of the experiments, carriers of the first group received a greater number of bites. This is the most preferred blood for mosquitoes. Due to the fact that it lacks proteins, it has a certain consistency, and red blood cells have a smoother surface. It is worth noting that the most favorite blood for mosquitoes is the first group with a negative Rh factor. A positive factor does not repel bloodsuckers, but is less attractive than a negative one.
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Following the representatives of the first group in terms of the number of bites are the owners of the second group. But if you have to choose, mosquitoes flock to the smell of the first group, this is a repeatedly proven fact.
What else attracts bloodsuckers?
Blood type and mosquitoes
Some other factors may also attract bloodsuckers. Midges and mosquitoes detect their prey using the following indicators:
- The amount of carbon dioxide. It is released by a person during breathing. Insects especially take advantage of this opportunity at night, when people are resting.
- The smell of sweat. Attracts bloodsuckers over very long distances. The more a person sweats, the more insects he can attract. This confirms that trying to escape from a swarm of mosquitoes is simply useless. During activity, the sweat glands will work more intensely and the victim will become more vulnerable.
On a note!
The color of clothing is also of great importance. Therefore, when going outdoors, it is better to give preference to things in lighter shades. Insects also prefer people who have consumed alcohol or bananas. It is not recommended to use citrus and floral perfumes in nature; they can also attract bloodsuckers.
Thus, mosquitoes and midges really prefer to drink blood that lacks antibodies of both types, but this does not mean that severe hunger will prevent them from biting a person with any other type. Numerous other factors also contribute to the fact that some people are more attractive to insects, while others are practically uninteresting. Scientists have not been able to scientifically substantiate this fact.
Why are mosquito bites dangerous?
Experts identify 3 thousand species of mosquitoes, for 100-200 of which the main habitat is the territory of our country. These bloodsuckers spread many bacteria and viruses, which means their bites can cause considerable harm to human health.
In order not to miss possible dangerous manifestations, you need to soberly assess the symptoms of the bite.
The following signs are acceptable:
- itching
- Swelling at the site of the bite.
- Inflammation of the skin, hyperemia (redness).
Important: the indicated symptoms are acceptable if they are of moderate severity.
The severity of possible consequences directly depends on several factors:
- the victim's predisposition to allergic reactions.
- A type of insect.
- Caring for the damaged area.
- No external influence on the wound (scratching).
For our latitudes, a common reaction is an allergy, but in other climates mosquitoes are carriers of more serious diseases:
- malaria or swamp fever. Found in the tropics and subtropics. Manifested by fever, chills, headache, nausea.
- Tularemia. The carrier of the disease is hares, small rodents, rabbits, the carrier is bloodsuckers. Manifested by fever, damage to the lymph nodes, and general intoxication.
- Zika virus. A person sick with this virus has children born with microcephaly (congenital neurological pathology). After biting an infected person, the mosquito becomes a carrier. There are currently no cases of Zika virus disease recorded in the Russian Federation.
- West Nile virus. Infection occurs from a mosquito that previously drank the blood of a sick bird. The infection affects the brain and central nervous system. The disease manifests itself as severe headache, fever, and convulsions. In more advanced cases, death occurs.
Flying laboratory
Every year, mosquitoes kill about 2 million people around the world, mostly in hot countries where there are problems with medical care. The bite itself, of course, is not dangerous, but insects carry many diseases, including malaria, dengue fever and others. Fortunately, mosquitoes cannot infect humans with some very dangerous viruses such as HIV. Even if they first bite an infected person and then a healthy one, there will be no consequences - such viruses do not survive in the body of these insects. The COVID-19 pathogen is also not transmitted by mosquitoes (at first there was panic, but scientists are categorical - this is impossible).
However, mosquitoes are “selective” when it comes to transmitting different viruses. For example, they can infect people with the Zika virus, but not with the Ebola virus. Why? The thing is that the mosquito’s body works like a complex distillation cube, and even with some nuances. When a mosquito bites an infected person, blood flows into the insect's intestines (yes, it has one). Here the virus must first infect the lining cells, but this is not easy. Next, it (if it survives) must enter the salivary glands. And not every infection is able to successfully travel this path.
How to protect yourself from mosquitoes
Regardless of your blood type, the mere presence of mosquitoes is unpleasant. In addition, bloodsuckers are capable of carrying many dangerous diseases. The most common of these is malaria. Therefore, mosquito bites should not be ignored, especially for pregnant women.
You can protect yourself from them by using specially designed body sprays or creams. The pronounced smell they possess repels mosquitoes and can significantly reduce the number of bites. Such products must be applied to clean skin, since the smell of sweat can overwhelm the aroma of the products, making them useless.
When choosing a mosquito repellent, you should read the instructions so that its components do not cause allergies or cause harm, especially for pregnant women and children. People with the first and second blood groups should definitely have such funds.
And if you do get bitten, then wipe the wound with alcohol tincture of calendula, cologne or boric acid. The main thing in this case is to destroy the bacteria that have entered the bite site. If you don’t have anything at hand, you should smear the wound with saliva, toothpaste, onion or garlic.
Repellents - on clothes
– How to protect yourself from mosquitoes in the forest or near a river?
– In nature, you need to use repellents – means that repel mosquitoes. They are sold in pharmacies. Before purchasing, you need to read the instructions and find out how toxic the active substance is. I put repellent on my clothes. It is better not to apply them to the skin, because even if the product is safe, sweat will wash it off and mosquitoes will start biting. Mosquito nets like bee nets also help. In places where there are a lot of mosquitoes, you need tight, closed clothing that does not fit close to the body.
Mosquito boom. Five important facts about bloodsuckers
– How to protect an animal from mosquitoes, for example, if you take a dog on a hike?
– Veterinary pharmacies and pet stores sell special repellents for animals. You should also read the instructions before use. The product must be safe, since it is applied to the fur that animals lick. You need to consult a veterinarian.
– How to choose a place for a tent so that mosquitoes do not prevail at night?
– This should be a wind-blown place on a hill, since there are always a lot of mosquitoes in lowlands, hollows and ravines, especially at dusk, when insects fly out to hunt.
– How to protect your apartment from these insects?
– Anti-mosquito nets are used on the windows. In my opinion, this protection is the most effective. You can also use fumigators, but you need to check whether they will cause allergies in others.
Natural death of a mosquito bite
Who would have thought that a simple “snack” could lead to death. Another way to express a mosquito bite is: “For dinner it’s like going to war.”
He dies from his own bite, or rather from his own saliva. When saliva causes itching, a person will scratch this place without thinking. Thus, it will drive away or even kill the insect. As a result, the mosquito may be left without “lunch” or die.
Interestingly, a mosquito can suck more blood than it weighs. This prevents him from taking off, and therefore kills him.
To avoid getting bitten, it is better to use products that repel various insects with their smell, and not just mosquitoes.
Sources
- https://FB.ru/post/environment/2019/5/31/104188
- https://DomoVreditel.ru/komary/pochemu-komary-pyut-krov
- https://klopkan.ru/komary/kakuyu-gruppu-krovi-lyubyat-komary/
- https://notklop.ru/komary/o-komarah/kakuyu-gruppu-krovi-lyubyat-komary/
- https://rci76.ru/klopy/kakuyu-gruppu-krovi-lyubyat-komary-bolshe-vsego.html
- https://parazitdoma.ru/drugie-parazity/pochemu-komary-pyut-krov
- https://krasnayakrov.ru/gruppy-krovi/kakuyu-lyubyat-komary.html
- https://apest.ru/komary/o-komarah/kakuyu-gruppu-krovi-lyubyat-komary/
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