A few small studies have shown that type O blood is more attractive than other blood types. But a more reliable driver of mosquito preference is carbon dioxide output, body heat, sweat chemistry, and skin bacteria.
Some people really do get bitten more by mosquitoes than others. It’s not your imagination. There are a lot of factors that make some people more attractive to mosquitoes. But blood type is far from the most important.
First, it is true that some blood types likely attract more mosquitoes than others. In particular, people with type O blood tend to find themselves universal donors to mosquitoes in a way that those with type A blood don’t. Even so, it’s not the main mechanism that mosquitoes use to choose their victims.
Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide. They can sense people exhaling from several yards away. This is why larger adults, pregnant women, and people who have been exercising tend to draw more mosquitoes than small children sitting still. They exhale more. Body heat and moisture also matter at close range. That’s why working up a sweat after yard work seems to draw every mosquito in the county.
Skin microbiome is another factor. Everyone has bacteria on their skin. We’re all biomes to some degree. Some people just happen to have biomes that are more attractive to the bacteria that mosquitoes like. And it doesn't help that it tends to be genetic too.
You can’t switch blood types or change your skin bacteria, but you can reduce the mosquito population where you spend time. That’s where mosquito control can help. But beyond that, mosquito repellent and running a fan over seating areas can also help deter mosquitoes.
If you’re tired of being preyed upon by mosquitoes, Mosquito Squad of Southwest Michigan can help. Mosquito Squad reduces the mosquito population, which can help you protect your yard with up to 90% reduction in mosquito activity on a recurring 21-day cycle.
