Will drinking alcohol really attract more mosquito bites? This study finds answers
A cold beer on a hot day is pretty common during the Texas summer, but might it also bite you in the neck?
The chance of being bit by a mosquito drastically increases after drinking alcohol, according to a study in journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. Talk about a a buzz kill.
For the study, 13 people ingested 12 ounces of beer while one person did not. After drinking, the study saw mosquitoes land more frequently on those who drank, rather the person who had not.
Another study simulated the same experience, this time with one half of the subjects drinking beer and the other half with water. Mosquitoes did not go for the study subjects drinking water. But the body odor of those who consumed beer increased mosquito activity. The study concluded that beer consumption increased attractiveness to mosquitoes based on tbody odor.
Mosquitoes are a part of life in Texas, and there are plenty of repellent options for people this summer. Last week, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced the first locally acquired malaria infection since 1994.
Do mosquitoes get drunk after biting humans who have consumed alcohol?
Nope, mosquitoes don’t get a buzz from biting those who have been drinking.
The blood alcohol level in humans is so low that mosquitoes wouldn’t feel a thing, according to the BBC. For example, if a person consumed 10 drinks and had a blood alcohol level of 0.2%, the mosquito that bit them would only get a trace amount of alcohol.
Why do mosquitoes bite people?
Mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide humans emit. As for the blood, that’s all about breeding the next generation.
Only female mosquitoes bite humans, while males stick solely to plant nectar, according to Off. Female mosquitoes seek out blood to help nourish and grow their eggs.
