That mosquitoes fly to light or heat. How to deal with mosquitoes: universal traps. How to protect your home from mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are not only a source of unpleasant squeaking in the room and painful itchy bites, but also carriers of dangerous diseases - malaria, yellow fever, dengue and some encephalitis. Malaria alone causes about two million deaths every year.

However, it cannot but arouse interest, and even admiration, as these tiny animals unmistakably find their very large victims. A lot of different assumptions have been put forward on this topic. To date, it is believed that when choosing a victim, a female blood-sucking mosquito (males have underdeveloped jaws and do not bite at all) focuses on carbon dioxide exhaled by a person, on thermal radiation, and also on the smell of lactic acid contained in sweat. Also, the female mosquito reacts to light, preferring lighted rooms.

However, it cannot be said that this range of features makes it possible to fully describe the behavior of the mosquito. Therefore, American entomologists conducted a comprehensive study of the reaction of mosquitoes to substances released by humans. The results of their research published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

They conducted a test on a group of 16 volunteers: men and women of different ages, representing different races and ethnic groups - Europeans, Indians, African Americans, Hispanics and Chinese. Using solid-phase microextraction, the fragrant substances that make up the smell of a person were isolated. Analysis of the resulting mixture showed the presence of hundreds of substances, among which four components predominate: 6-methyl-6-hepten-2-one, nonanal, decanal and geranilacetone.

Scheme of the experiment with a female mosquito//PNAS

After that, the following experiment was carried out with a female mosquito (in the figure). She was fixed on a laboratory pipette so that only her eyes and antennae remained free. Electrodes were connected to them, recording their activity. Then, the reaction of the insect to the fragrant substances emitted by humans was evaluated in turn. To assess the specificity of the reaction and sensitivity to substances, isolated components of the mixture were added in turn at various concentrations.

The experiment showed that nonanal contained in human sweat causes the most active reaction in an insect.

It is he who “sends a message” to the mosquito about the presence of food. The antennae of the insect work in such a way that even the lowest concentrations of nonanal are captured.

The new concept, however, does not disprove the fact that the mosquito reacts to carbon dioxide exhaled by humans. Carbon dioxide and nonanal work together to attract mosquitoes. When conducting an experiment on 2000 individuals, it was shown that, although carbon dioxide attracts mosquitoes, the addition of nonanal to it increases the number of mosquitoes that react to the mixture by one and a half times.

With the onset of warm summer days, we try to spend more time outdoors, going on picnics in the forest, to a personal plot or cottage. Everyone likes this holiday: the beauty of nature, swimming in ponds, the process of picking berries and mushrooms, but the only fact that can overshadow this idyll is annoying squeaking and mosquito bites. The activity of unpleasant bloodsuckers and the ability to find a victim is sometimes surprising!

What do insects like?

Even with the advent of absolute darkness, they do not stop their activity. Nature endowed the mosquito with a thermal and chemical analyzer, with the help of which the insect senses the presence of carbon dioxide, lactic acid, contained in sweat. Moreover, the smell of carbon dioxide can be heard at a great distance, and lactic acid can be smelled for a kilometer or more.

It turns out that nature has created several thousand species of mosquitoes, and each of them prefers a certain type of victim: some like to feast on the blood of birds, others prefer to hunt people, others are looking for prey among animals, etc. There are male and female mosquitoes, and only mosquitoes suck blood.

While on vacation or in a city apartment, many people ask themselves questions: “Which mosquitoes will fly faster to: light or heat? Can the switched off light save from these bloodsuckers?

It has been noticed that female mosquitoes love light, so we often see how they tend to get from darkness or twilight to a lighted place. It turns out that they even like the night twilight more than the sultry sunlight. And if the air temperature reaches more than 27 degrees Celsius, then the mosquito dies.

Using the heat receptor, the mosquito searches for open areas of the human body in order to get as close as possible to the food source. By the way, sometimes you can observe that mosquitoes stick around a warm object (for example, a heating pad) and try to stick their nose into it.

An ideal option for lighting a room or a summer cottage in the summer are LED lamps and lanterns. Firstly, they are cost-effective, and secondly, they do not heat up and do not emit heat, which means they do not attract mosquitoes.

What do mosquitoes fly to, and how to cool their impulse? Experts have done a lot of research and identified the main factors that attract mosquitoes:

1. Blood type and Rh factor. Of course, it would be ridiculous to claim that the insect knows about this concept, but researchers have confidently asserted that the mosquito determines the blood type by smell (genetically laid down). The mosquito loves the first blood group, less actively sit on the victim with the third and fourth blood group, but he likes the person with the second group the least.
2. Carbon dioxide. It turns out that the more concentrated carbon dioxide, the better for the mosquito. That is why he mostly sits on large, adult people.
3. Sweat. Due to the fact that mosquitoes are attracted to the smell of lactic acid, ammonia, uric acid, which are part of sweat, they often hunt for a working person, a person who sweats heavily. If a person just got out of the shower, he becomes completely uninteresting to the mosquito.
4. Beer. An interesting proven fact is that beer drinkers are the favorites of mosquitoes. Why? The reason for this is believed to be: ethanol released through the skin and elevated body temperature.
5. The color spectrum of clothes. According to statistics, bloodsuckers are attracted to black, red and dark blue clothing. Why this is so is not known, but the fact is the fact.
6. Bacteria that accumulate on the surface of human skin. Moreover, there are a number of bacteria that attract the insect, and there are those that repel.
7. Pregnancy. Experts noticed the attraction to pregnant women by observing the malarial mosquito, and then analyzed the behavior of many other species and confirmed this fact. The reason why women in an interesting position have become favorites of harmful insects is the body temperature (higher than that of the average person), and more carbon dioxide that they exhale.

By the way, there is a funny fact that there are a number of people who are not interested in mosquitoes at all. These are the lucky ones whose body from birth is able to secrete a natural substance - a repellant that mosquitoes do not tolerate.

How to protect yourself?

If you are not so lucky, then it is advisable to stock up on mosquito bites. We will not list the mass of modern drugs and devices sold in pharmacies and specialty outlets, but will focus on the simplest and absolutely harmless mosquito repellents:

• a mixture of eucalyptus and lemon aroma oil (1 jar of oil + juice from two lemons) apply to exposed areas of the body, and you are protected;
• natural cinnamon. It is enough to rub it on the skin or add it to toilet water;
• garlic. Daily consumption of this product will greatly reduce the risk of being bitten;
• vanillin or vanilla sugar amazingly repels insects;
• fan. Just position yourself near a running fan and you won't be afraid of any mosquito.

Tsar Saltan marvels at the miracle,
And the mosquito is angry, angry -
And the mosquito got stuck
Aunt right in the right eye.
A. S. Pushkin

It's not just people who get hurt. Two-winged bloodsuckers force bears to smash their muzzles with their paws in the blood. Because of mosquitoes and biting midges in the taiga, dogs whine plaintively at night. Mosquitoes, midges and horseflies sometimes bleed calves, foals and elks so that they eat them to death. But male mosquitoes are not involved in all these atrocities. And Prince Gvidon, in order to get even with his relative, had to turn not into a mosquito, but into a mosquito. Because male mosquitoes are peaceful creatures: they do not drink blood, they feed only on plant juices. Think about horseflies - they have the same situation.

But mosquitoes need to drink blood, otherwise they will not lay eggs, and the mosquito genus will die out. However, hungry mosquitoes of some species, in order to lay eggs and give birth to children, seem to eat themselves - they "digest" the flight muscles of the chest.

Mosquitoes lay their eggs wherever they want: in a swamp, in a puddle, in a barrel or a jar of water. But given the choice, they will prefer places with a smell of hydrogen sulfide or yeast. And the smell of methane, from the point of view of mosquitoes, smells of all smells! They, like bees for honey, flock to boreholes, from which methane is released. Sometimes there are so many mosquitoes that in the rays of the sun it seems as if a pale gas flame is blazing above the well. The most persistent penetrate even inside the well. How methane fascinated mosquitoes is not entirely clear. Maybe they were related to him when they were larvae? Methane is called swamp gas; mosquitoes also come from the swamp ...

But you won’t be full of methane, which is why mosquitoes are attracted to the warm skin of animals and the smell of lactic acid secreted by the skin. If between the village and the reservoir - a breeding ground for mosquitoes - there is a barn or stable, many bloodsuckers linger there, do not fly to the village - the blood of horses and cows suits them more. True, a subspecies of the malarial mosquito lives in Central Asia, which prefers to drink human blood.

But even here the bloodsuckers are on their minds. In the USA, an experiment was somehow set up: out of 838 people, mosquitoes did not touch only one. As it turned out, he had very dry skin. As soon as he moistened his hand, the winged robbers attacked her.

In search of food, mosquitoes usually fly about three kilometers, and record holders with the help of the wind - up to fifty! To find out how they knew exactly where to fly, they were let into a small wind tunnel. There was a smell of bait at the end of the pipe, but spots of light moved from front to back along the walls of the pipe. And the mosquitoes seemed to be chasing prey. Experiments have shown that mosquitoes, at least to clarify the route, use their eyes. But how do they find their way to food at night and over smooth water surfaces? They see something bad. Probably, in this case, the mosquitoes "close" their eyes - they are guided only by the smell.

Mosquitoes are attracted not only by lactic acid, but also by the humid, carbon dioxide-rich air emitted by animals. And the warmth of their body. They find warm skin with tiny antennae. Komarihi change the direction of the flight until both antennas receive the same amount of heat - this indicates that lunch is right on the course. The sensitivity of the mosquito thermolocator is incredible - the size of the Anopheles antenna is only three millimeters, while the Aedes mosquito has an even smaller one. But. as they say, small, but daring.

If insects annoy you in a camping tent, and you forgot the gauze for the canopy or repellents at home, you can take a diversion - make mosquitoes bite the tin. True, they are not interested in empty tin cans - you need to make a trap out of the cans like a mushroom. In a narrow jar - a mushroom leg - light a candle, and pour water into a hat jar that is heated by a candle. This simple construction can deceive mosquitoes. The tin seems to breathe - the candle gives warmth and carbon dioxide, and the water moistens the air a little. Of course, the trap should be smeared with something sticky.

Sometimes you can drive mosquitoes away from the entrance to the tent with sprigs of wormwood or medicinal chamomile - mosquitoes do not like their smell.

Flying away from puddles and swamps, myriads of newborn mosquitoes, without knowing it, carry away tons of chemical elements. What is not in their little bodies: carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, boron ... It is believed that mosquito clouds are sometimes the only biological transport for some trace elements (for example, molybdenum) in the taiga zone. And without trace elements, both blades of grass and mighty trees lose their strength. It turns out that trees need mosquitoes. And not just trees. If all mosquitoes are destroyed without exception, insectivorous birds will starve, fish that feed on mosquito larvae will have a bad time. If you destroy all Mosquitoes, troubles will begin that we don’t suspect about: you can’t discount the mosquito contribution to the biological cycle of substances. Four thousand of their larvae can simultaneously live in a liter of puddle. And how many puddles in the world!

By the way, not all mosquitoes come from swamps or puddles. Throwing out "wormy" mushrooms, we kill mushroom mosquitoes - mushroom caps are usually occupied by their white larvae with a black head. How do mosquitoes manage to find a mushroom when he barely raised his hat above the ground? The mushroom is cold and does not smell of methane or lactic acid.

Note that the number of mosquitoes-bloodsuckers and insects that harm agriculture, are trying to reduce With the help of pesticides. Malicious creatures first died in droves, but then they rebuilt their biochemistry and began to heal themselves. So, from 1971 to 1980, the number of species whose health did not suffer from pesticides increased from 224 to 428. Many species of mosquitoes, house flies now withstand all pesticides. Is this not the best evidence that the inventors of new poisons are doomed to eternal pursuit. Meanwhile, chemical warfare with insects has turned into an undeclared war against humanity, against all living things. It's scary to read and write about, but even the darkest truth is better than ignorance. Many of us begin to absorb poison from the cradle. Pesticides are found in the breast milk of mothers living in different parts of the globe. They get into the body of nurses with ruddy apple peel or fragrant melon pulp, with potatoes, with crucian carp caught on a hook, or simply with drinking water. We must put an end to chemical warfare against field pests as soon as possible and replace it with biological control methods and agricultural technology.

Summer is not only the season of holidays and vacations, picnics and barbecues, but also, the annoying squeak of which interferes with proper rest and sleep. No less suffering is brought by the bites of annoying insects. Often they are accompanied by severe itching. Moreover, it often happens that being in the same company, not all of its participants suffer from the attack of bloodsuckers. Therefore, in order not to become a victim of insatiable bloodsuckers, it will not be superfluous to know what mosquitoes fly to or what attracts their attention.

How mosquitoes find a person

The activity of unpleasant bloodsuckers and their ability to find a victim surprises many. Even being in absolute darkness, mosquitoes do not stop their activity. Therefore, the question of how mosquitoes see is one of the most frequently asked.

On a note!

Insects "see in the dark" thanks to the thermal and chemical analyzer that nature has awarded them. With their help, mosquitoes smell the lactic acid contained in the sweat and the presence of carbon dioxide that a person exhales.

Attracts the attention of insects and a lamp burning in the room. However, only mosquito females fly into the light. Their attention is drawn to the heat emanating from the light source. It is on him that the mosquito is guided during the flight, whether it is daylight or darkness.

Using the heat receptor, mosquitoes also look for bare areas of the human body, trying to get as close as possible to the food source. However, bloodsuckers are often deceived by sticking around warm objects in anticipation of a meal (the photo of how mosquitoes see is presented below).

What attracts insects

After conducting numerous studies, experts were able to determine that the attention of mosquitoes is attracted by the presence of the following factors.

The smell of blood

For many, this will seem absurd, but bloodsuckers find the victim by the smell of blood, genetically laid down, which makes you wonder. It is assumed that they give preference exclusively to people with 1 blood group. They are more indifferent to a person with 3 or 4 blood groups. Blood of the 2nd group is not at all to the taste of vampires.

On a note!

Human hunting is carried out exclusively by female mosquitoes. For breeding, as it contains proteins and enzymes. Males are absolutely indifferent to blood. They feed exclusively on plant foods, using nectar and plant sap. Females can also be vegetarians, but they will not be able to lay eggs during this period.

thermal radiation

To find a suitable prey for a female blood-sucking mosquito, special very sensitive sensors located on the antennae help. They are very responsive to thermal radiation that comes from a person or other warm-blooded creature. And especially bloodsuckers feel bare areas of the body.

Carbon dioxide concentration

Attracts the attention of bloodsuckers and carbon dioxide. Insects can feel it from the breath of a person at a distance of several tens of meters.

On a note!

Moreover, the greater the concentration of carbon dioxide, the greater the appetite of the insect producing its victim. Its largest volume is reproduced by overweight people.

Smell of sweat

Another factor that attracts the attention of blood-sucking insects is sweat. Therefore, they often choose an actively working person as a victim. To be more precise, bloodsuckers fly to the smell of ammonia, lactic and uric acid, which are part of human sweat.

Perfume will not help in this case, especially if musk is present in its composition. Indeed, for insects, this aroma is very attractive. Therefore, it is not the best option to use cosmetics with a pungent odor, whether it be perfume, deodorant or hairspray. But a person who has just taken a shower will not cause any interest in bloodsuckers.

bacteria on the skin

Mosquitoes are also interested in specific types of bacteria present on the surface of the skin. Places in which there is an excessive amount of them (usually the ankles and wrists) are attacked by insects much more often. Therefore, to avoid, you must regularly shower with antibacterial soap.

The smell of beer

Another one was found by scientists. Mosquitoes are no less attracted by the smell of beer, or rather the people who drink it. This addiction is explained by the ethanol released through the skin and the elevated body temperature, which is usually observed among drinkers.

gender

The most common victims of mosquitoes are children and girls. This fact is explained by the presence of thinner skin, which is much easier for insects to bite through than the skin of a male representative.

On a note!

According to a number of studies, experts have found that mosquitoes are of particular interest to women during pregnancy. It turned out that the amount of carbon dioxide exhaled by them is almost 20% more. In addition, pregnant women have a slightly elevated body temperature.

No less attention of bloodsuckers is attracted by women during the period of ovulation. The reason for this is the smell of cholesterol, the level of which in women increases during hormonal changes. It is to him that mosquitoes react.

The color of things

The color of clothing can also attract the attention of insects. According to statistics, bloodsuckers are especially not indifferent to black and blue tones, and red also attracts insects. They are neutral to gray. Less attractive are yellow, green, and khaki.

Interesting!

Attacks of annoying insects are not subjected to those people in whose body from birth there is a special repellent repelling bloodsuckers.

Mosquito attractants

A lot of

Many craftsmen make using plastic bottles or paper soaked in a mixture of rosin, linseed oil and honey. Safety and availability are the main advantages of such devices.

Mosquitoes are not attracted to LED lights, mosquitoes and midges fly to fluorescent lamps and other ultraviolet light sources. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) do not produce ultraviolet light, so mosquitoes do not fly to them. This mosquito preference makes LED lights ideal for outdoor human activities.

At what temperature do mosquitoes stop flying

The mosquito lives optimistically in temperatures around 27 degrees Celsius, and since LED lights don't generate heat, they don't attract mosquitoes, making LED bulbs a great choice for summer lighting.

Quiet lighting as protection against mosquitoes

When choosing mosquito repellant lamps, consider that LED lighting is quiet, without the hum and noise of fluorescent lamps. This allows you to hear the sound from mosquitoes earlier, the appearance of an insect near you and take measures to destroy it.

Indoor and outdoor lighting against mosquitoes on the street

Standalone LED lighting is available for both indoor and outdoor use, so proper use of the light will prevent mosquitoes from attracting where you are.

LED Street Lights: Mosquito Repellent Lights

In Germany, some localities have replaced conventional street lights with LED street lights, not only for economic reasons, one of the reasons is that mosquitoes are not attracted to LED lighting.

Carbon dioxide attracts mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are attracted to heat - and carbon dioxide is released by both humans and animals whose breath attracts mosquitoes. LED lighting does not emit carbon dioxide like other lighting does, which is another reason to change the old lighting scheme to LED lamps, which, as you have already learned, do not attract mosquitoes.