Do Mosquitoes really play Genetic Favorites?

We have customers call us frequently claiming that mosquitoes are very attracted to them, far more than the average person. A recent article in “The Scientist” drives the idea home that people who say mosquitoes just “love them” are really onto something. The article talks about a new study of a dozen pairs of twins where it was found that genetics often play a major role in whose blood a mosquito chooses to bite. In the study, twins that were identical were similar in their level of attractiveness to mosquitoes and fraternal twins that were not were different in their level of attractiveness. In the study, colleagues compared mosquitoes’ attraction of 18 pairs of identical twins and 19 pairs of fraternal twins by having the siblings stick their hands in either side of a Y-shaped tube.  This goes to show that mosquitoes do show preference and are genetically persuaded.

Also, female mosquitoes have been found to be more attracted to pregnant women than others, and people infected with the malaria parasite appear to attract the most insects during the period of the parasite’s life cycle. In addition, some people seem to give off a different scent to others. This new study suggests a genetic basis for this different scent as well.

With all this in mind, we are here protect you and your family from these annoying pests and vector borne illnesses. Our standard barrier treatment eliminates between 85-90% of mosquitoes and adult ticks on contact. And we fully back up this guarantee! If you haven’t set up your 21-day treatment schedule this summer, please contact us.  And, don’t forget to spread the word — we offer an excellent referral program for your assistance in helping others “Fight the Bite!” We want you and your neighbors to enjoy their time outside this summer!