Mosquitos home in on carbon dioxide we breathe out

Posted by on Sep 30, 2011 in Blog, Flora and Fauna | 0 comments

 

 
Contrary to popular belief, mosquitos are attracted to their prey not by the sweetness of their blood, but by the amount of carbon dioxide they exhale.The average human produces about a kilo of CO2 a day, approximately 100 milligrams every time they exhale (about 13 times a minute).According to Juan Rueda of the Spanish Association of Entomology, an expert in biological mosquito control, mosquitos have a special “homing instinct” towards people who emit more CO2 than average.

The insects detect CO2 on the air current and know that there is fresh blood to be had not far away.  Adults produce more CO2 than children, and the amount depends on diet and how physically active the person is.

The abundant rain that fell along the Mediterranean coast in the run-up to summer means that there are more mosquitos around than most years .  Female mosquitos, who are the ones who sting, live for between 50 and 60 days and their life cycle begins again every time it rains.

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