Factors influencing mosquito attraction to humans

Mosquitoes utilize a combination of sensory cues to locate hosts for blood meals. A primary signal is carbon dioxide (CO2) released during respiration, which females can detect from up to 70 meters away. Once closer, they rely on body heat and specific olfactory signatures from the skin to pinpoint a target.

Factors such as perspiration, physical activity, and genetic heritage influence how attractive a person is to mosquitoes. While many people find them a nuisance, only female mosquitoes feed on blood to obtain necessary proteins for egg development, and only a small minority of the approximately 3,500 mosquito species target humans. Most species primarily feed on flower nectar.