Ever feel like mosquito bait? Us, too. Some people just seem to be more beloved by those terrible little vampire bugs than others, and we're sadly in the camp of the perpetually itchy and red. So, it was with a combination of eagerness and horror that we read this article about all the weird reasons mosquitoes love us so much.
We were really upset to learn that mosquitoes like it when we drink, because drinking is sometimes the only way to ignore the fact that we're getting eaten alive. And, interestingly, some social behaviors that cause mosquitoes to heart us so hard seem potentially indicative of our personalities — like the fact that a person standing on the perimeter of a group is more likely to get bitten than someone in the center.
Most surprising, though, was learning that though we often say that mosquitoes like us for our sweet, delicious fairy blood, they're actually attracted to the carbon dioxide that we exhale. So, heavy mouth breathers and outdoor exercisers alike should watch out: Your exhales are like beacons of hope in a dark sea of DEET. (Reader's Digest.)
Photo: Via Reader's Digest
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT