CNJ+ September 2023

THE PLIGHT OF THE JERSEY MOSQUITO! By, Pam Teel

wsiworld. (609) 286 b.desai@ #FaceBook Ad #Get More Lea Studies have shown that mosquitoes do prefer to dine on certain blood types more than others. If you are O+, look out! The Asian tiger mosqui to loves to make a cocktail out of your blood. AB type blood seems to attract the marsh mosquito. You may ask, but how do they know the difference in blood? Around 80 percent of people produce a secretion that signals what blood type they are. Mosquitoes can also sense carbon dioxide from a significant distance. The more you exhale, the more attractive you become. Larger people ex hale more, so they’re more likely to receive bug bites. Since you exhale carbon dioxide through your nose and mouth, mosquitoes are especially attracted to your head. They can see humans from a distance of 16 to 49 feet. Female mosquitoes are Your Tru BrianD For Digit #Local SEO #Google Ads We wait in anticipation for our Jersey sum mer to begin. New Jersey, known for its beautiful beaches, abundance of pork roll, jersey tomatoes, tasty sweet corn, Springsteen, and oh yes, on a much lesser degree, our Jersey Mosquito! Hard to believe these little bloodsuckers can make your summer a living hell. You might wonder why it’s always you getting all bitten up and not your spouse or your kid, or your best friend. A lot of that has to do with what you eat, drink, wear, bacteria on your skin, and even, how you breath. Mosquito bites come solely from the female of the species. They rely on the protein in human blood and other mammals for egg pro duction. Male mosquitoes survive on nectar for nourishment. Here are some reasons mosquitoes dine on some people more than others:

non- pregnant women. For some reason or other, mosquitoes are also drawn to those who drink beer. If that wasn’t bad enough, what you eat can also make you tastier for mosquitoes. Salty, sweety, spicy, or potassium rich foods, such as bananas, are believed to attract more mosquitoes. Mosquitoes use their eyes to target victims. Research shows that mosquitoes gravitate more toward green and black surfaces than toward white or grey surfaces. If you tend to get bug bites, it may be because mosquitoes have an easy time seeing you. Mosquito bites are more than just annoying. Mosquitoes are vectors, which are living organisms that can transmit diseases, such as Zika virus and malaria. Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water. Tips to cut the mosquito population in your yard: • Remove items that collect rainwater that you don’t need, like old tires. • Empty items that catch rainwater after a storm. • Change the water in fountains and bird baths at least once a week. • Clean the gutters on the roof to keep water flowing. Continued on Page 35 

also attracted to heat and may choose to fly toward people even when there are other sources of heat available. You may notice that you get bites if you exercise outside, or venture out on hot days. They do a great job sniffing out human sweat. They're attracted to lactic acid, ammonia, and other com pounds emitted in it. Might be a good idea to head inside after a vigorous outdoor activity. Mosquitoes also prefer certain skin bacteria. Your skin is naturally teeming with microscopic life. These bacteria create a distinct fragrance when mixed with sweat. The types and amount of bacteria on a person’s skin can play a role in how many mosquito bites they get. Mosquitoes may be especially drawn to ankles and feet because these areas are especially ripe for bacterial growth. They prefer people with significantly more carboxylic acids on their skin. One study found that these fatty acids were highly concentrated on the skin of those who were most attractive to mosquitoes. Pregnancy also attracts some mosquito species. One study found that mosquitoes tend to gravitate around pregnant women more so that non- pregnant ones. This may happen for a couple of reasons. One reason being, people in late pregnancy exhaled a 21 percent greater volume of breath than

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