Throughout my life, I have always been the one friend who gets invited to outdoor events from May to November. However, it’s not my exceptional dessert-making skills that secure my invitation—it’s my ability to attract mosquitoes. While many theories explain why some people are more prone to mosquito bites, such as blood type and diet, researchers have overlooked an essential aspect of this phenomenon, according to Clément Vinauger, a chemical ecologist at Virginia Tech.
Mosquitoes are skilled hunters, capable of detecting various scents emitted by our bodies, including the carbon dioxide we exhale and the heat we radiate. However, their scent-seeking abilities extend beyond blood. Mosquitoes are omnivores, capable of detecting both blood and plants. In today’s world, humans tend to emit a combination of scents due to the floral and citrusy lotions and creams we use daily.
Vinauger and his team conducted a small study with five volunteers, four soap brands, and one mosquito species. The findings suggest that our unique odor profile, which incorporates floral and faunal scents, may make us incredibly appealing to mosquitoes. Although the study’s sample size was limited, and further research is necessary, these results indicate that mosquitoes view us as diverse food sources.
Previous research has shown that what we apply to our skin influences mosquito behavior and attraction. Plant extracts, such as citronella and limonene, have demonstrated repellent properties in certain contexts. When floral and faunal cues are combined, mosquitoes become disoriented, perceiving a nonexistent organism, explained Baldwyn Torto, a chemical ecologist and mosquito expert. Female mosquitoes, responsible for biting, alternate between seeking nectar and hunting for blood, never encountering both simultaneously. Researchers initially believed that soap might repel mosquitoes from seeking a blood meal.
However, the results of the study presented a more complex picture. The researchers collected chemicals from the volunteers’ arms, comparing a soapy arm to an unscented one and offering these samples to mosquitoes. While a coconut-and-vanilla-scented body wash by Native appeared less appealing due to mosquitoes’ dislike of coconut, two other cleansers by Dove and Simple Truth made several volunteers more attractive to mosquitoes, despite containing limonene, a known mosquito repellent. The lack of a universal attractant or repellent among the tested products highlights the individuality of odor profiles. Factors such as lifestyle choices and environmental influences contribute to an individual’s attractiveness to mosquitoes, even in the presence of soap.
Thus, it is challenging to definitively state which soap will make someone highly attractive or repellent to mosquitoes, as Seyed Mahmood Nikbakht Zadeh, a chemical ecologist and medical entomologist, pointed out. Additionally, given the myriad scented products people use, the contents of lotions or deodorants could counteract the effects of body washes. Therefore, the purpose of the study is not to endorse or criticize specific products, but rather to stimulate further research. Scientists may develop improved mosquito baits or repellents using gentle, plant-based ingredients already present in our soaps, as an alternative to DEET, a highly effective but potentially harmful chemical.
In pursuit of this goal, the researchers behind the study analyzed the specific chemicals present in the tested soaps. They then combined the most appealing and aversive substances to create two new concoctions—a fruity, flowery attractant and a nuttier repellent—and offered them to mosquitoes. The repellent proved to be as effective as DEET, but all the active ingredients came from the soap chemicals. However, the duration of the repellent effect remains unknown. People typically shower once a day, while odors emanating from our bodies persist continuously. Maria Elena De Obaldia, a neurogeneticist, suggests that continuous odor emissions may eventually outweigh any benefits from repellent soaps. Reapplying bug spray may be a more practical solution, considering the need for frequent showers.
While I’m not ready to blame my body wash or hygiene routine for my attractiveness to mosquitoes, I now understand that the scents emitted from scented products can impact mosquito behavior. The knowledge gained from this study may inspire further research, leading to the development of improved repellents or lures. I am optimistic that future advancements will provide alternatives to chemicals like DEET, which is effective but not without its drawbacks.
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