As the summer weather continues throughout the province, pesky insects are on the rise, including blood-sucking mosquitoes.
And whether you’re a person who seems to get “eaten alive” or someone who gets only a couple of bites a season, it’s nothing personal, says Carl Lowenberger, professor of entomology and parasitology at Simon Fraser University.
“Mosquitoes don’t really have it out for us and want to ruin our lives,” Lowenberger said.
“They [the females] bite us to get protein from our blood and use that protein to create eggs.”
But Lowenberger does have some tips for those heading into the wilderness.
Don’t stress about your smell
While most of us have heard it can be the smell of your skin — due to diet, perfume or even blood type — that attracts mosquitoes, Lowenberger says the many studies on what makes a person more susceptible to bites have come up inconclusive.
“There are really no definitive answers of what exactly makes a person more attractive than others,” he said.
But what is proven is that mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide emitted from us as we do activities. Mosquitoes follow movement to get to their food source and once they are close, they follow the heat and carbon dioxide coming from our bodies.
“You’re giving a signal that tells the mosquitoes, ‘Here I am.'”
Choose protection wisely
Lowenberger said the type of protection you use against mosquitoes can be based on personal experience and activity.
“If you want to be active and hiking, you probably don’t want to cover yourself in a mosquito net all day long or wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants in this type of heat,” Lowenberger explained to Early Edition host, Stephen Quinn.
He says that DEET is still the “gold standard” when it comes to repelling insects, but there are also many essential oil-based mixtures.
Head to the breeze
Lowenberger’s last piece of advice is to hang out somewhere windy if you have the option.
“Mosquitoes are not strong flyers so … sit where there’s a breeze flowing across your body.”
Listen to the full interview with Carl Lowenberger:
With files from The Early Edition