Some mosquitoes, especially the invasive Aedes species, target the legs and feet because that's where certain scent cues concentrate and because they tend to approach low and from below.
If it seems like mosquitoes always attack your ankles first, you are probably right. There are actual reasons why your feet and lower legs get so much of their attention.
Your feet and ankles carry a distinct smell caused by sweat and the bacteria on your skin. Science shows that mosquitoes love these foot odors, often wanting to bite there more than anywhere else on you. This is part of why simply washing your feet can make a difference.
Many mosquitoes, and invasive Aedes in particular (which we have a lot of in LA these days), tend to fly low and approach from below. They’ll cruise near the ground and move up. That flight pattern naturally brings them to the ankles and lower legs first, especially when you are standing or walking.
The legs and feet are often the least protected part of the body, bare in sandals or shorts, and easy for a low-flying mosquito to reach without you noticing until the bite is done. Aedes mosquitoes are also sneaky, quiet daytime biters. That’s part of how these ankle bites can happen before you’re aware of it.
You can reduce it a little, covering the ankles, using repellent on the lower legs, keeping feet clean, but since the attraction is largely built in, the most effective move is cutting the number of mosquitoes around you in the first place.
If you're tired of counting the bites on your ankles after every evening outside, Mosquito Squad of Los Angeles can help. Mosquito Squad reduces the mosquito population in your yard so there are far fewer to find your feet. This can help you to protect your family with up to 90% reduction in mosquito activity on a recurring 21-day cycle.
