Ever notice, at an outdoor gathering, some folks seem to be getting bitten by mosquitoes constantly, while others are hardly touched? Or maybe in your own home, some family members report more bites of bed bugs than others? This strange thing has caused some to wonder: are some folks just more tempting to pests than others? 

The answer is a resounding yes — and science backs it up. Some people are just pest magnets because of things like body chemistry, diet, clothing choices, and even genetics. This is another reason why Beaverton exterminators spend a lot of time researching pests and providing you with custom solutions. In this article, we will explore some amazing reasons that pests seem to love you more than everyone else and what you can do about it.

What Attracts Pests To Humans?

Multiple things attract pests to humans, such as: 

• Production of Cardon Dioxide From Humans

When you exhale, you expel carbon dioxide, one of the main attractants for many pests. Mosquitoes can smell CO2 from a distance of 50 feet away. Larger people, and those who are more active, produce more carbon dioxide and are therefore easier for pests to find. Pregnant women who exhale 21% more carbon dioxide than non-pregnant women are also frequently the specified pest targets.

• Your Genetics and Blood Type

A big part of human pest attraction is genetic. In fact, people who have Type O blood are 83% more likely to attract mosquitoes than those with Type A blood. Moreover, roughly 85% of individuals release a chemical signal through their skin that reveals their blood type, making them more appealing to certain pests, irrespective of their actual blood type.

• Bacteria on Skin

Your skin has its own community of bacteria , which generate distinctive odors. The answer, which might surprise you, is that the composition of your skin microbiota plays a large role in how attractive you are to mosquitoes. Individuals with higher defenses against bacteria are less attractive to mosquitoes, while those with higher amounts of some types of bacteria are more attractive. Scientists have identified more than 300 chemical compounds that skin bacteria produce, and that either attract or repel mosquitoes.

• Your Body Temperature

Many other pests, including mosquitoes and bed bugs, are very sensitive to changes in temperature. Mosquitoes are especially drawn to people with higher body temperatures, according to research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The rate of your metabolism influences your temperature, and people with faster metabolisms tend to run hotter. Mosquitoes were 26 percent more likely to land on subjects with temperatures just 0.5°C above average.

Can Some People Attract More Pests Than Others?

The answer is yes, and it is backed up with a lot of facts. Some individuals are just more pest magnets because of their genetics. Genetics contributes to around 67% of the variation in mosquito attraction between people. There are genetic factors that affect everything from blood type to the compounds that your body expels from your skin through sweat and from your breath.

Furthermore, what you eat determines how pests perceive you by scent. Eating foods rich in sulfur, such as garlic and onions, acts as a repellent for some insects. On the other hand, the more alcohol a person drinks, the more mosquitoes are attracted to them. Even drinking one 12-ounce beer could increase mosquito landings by 30%, likely because your body expels more heat, and the compounds in your skin change as you drink.

Conclusion

The evidence is now quite clear: pest attraction is not random. Some people are just more appealing to pests than others. You obviously cannot change your genetics or your blood type, but knowing what makes you tasty for pests can help you take reasonable precautions. And keep in mind that different pests are drawn to different human attributes, meaning what makes you irresistible to mosquitoes may not have any impact on your allure to bed bugs or ticks.