export_ofoct.com

[00:00.41] Summer is a great time of year – but, unfortunately, it's not just us humans that enjoy it.

[00:07.58] Mosquitos seem to make the most out of the season by biting us, and as well as being annoying, mosquito-borne diseases can be dangerous.

[00:16.61] What can we do to avoid getting bitten?

[00:20.33] The most obvious answer is to use mosquito repellent.

[00:24.05] Professor James Logan from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine explains that DEET, the chemical used in many repellents, confuses the insects' sense of smell, making it difficult to recognise humans. Though be careful – as biologist Roger Eritja points out – any bits of skin that aren't covered by repellent are still likely to get bitten.

[00:48.49] Logan also recommends using plug-in insecticides to kill or repel mosquitos in the room. However, it might be best to avoid using electric bug zappers.

[01:00.44] Daniel Markowski from the American Mosquito Control Association highlights that mosquitos are only a small proportion of the number of insects they kill, and that many of the others are beneficial.

[01:13.72] Clothing is another consideration that affects whether mosquitos choose to attack us.

[01:19.30] Amy Glover, writing in the Huffington Post, tells us that dark colours attract mosquitos.

[01:25.93] James Logan adds that loose clothing is preferable as it is harder for mosquitos to bite through – they're even able to penetrate jeans if they are worn tightly.

[01:37.36] Light, loose clothing also means people sweat less.

[01:41.61] A 2019 study showed that mosquitos are able to use the smell of human sweat to find their victims.

[01:48.78] This is why Homes editor Katie Mortram recommends taking a shower before bed to avoid getting bitten.

[01:56.22] Another way to stop the smell of your sweat attracting mosquitos is to use deodorant to disguise the smell of your sweat.

[02:04.19] Masie Vollans – a researcher into mosquito ecology, points out that a compound found in deodorants has been shown to stop mosquitos landing on the skin.

[02:14.81] What we eat and drink may also have an impact on how attractive we are to mosquitos.

[02:20.39] Vollans mentions two studies that found drinking beer and eating bananas can make people more attractive to mosquitos.

[02:28.89] So, as well as using repellents and insecticides, thinking about our clothing, reducing our sweat and changing what we eat and drink could help to reduce the risk of mosquito bites.