Are mosquitoes attracted to light?

You’ve probably heard that people turn off the lights in their bedrooms to keep mosquitoes out. Leaving the light on means your room will be full of annoying insects. But is this truly the case? Are mosquitoes attracted to light or is it a myth? We will give you the answer!

Are mosquitoes truly attracted to light?

We can be short and sweet about it: No mosquitoes are not attracted to light! Mosquitoes are virtually blind and have difficulty orienting themselves in the light. That’s why mosquitoes are less active during the day than in the evening. That’s why these critters only appear when it starts to get dark. So you can safely leave your nightlight on when you are reading a book in bed.

What attracts mosquitoes?

If not because of the light, what is causing these pesky mosquitoes to fly into your room? We list several explanations for you below:

Your metabolism

Some people are more favored by mosquitoes than others. This has to do with your metabolism. We can already hear you thinking: how is this possible? There is a logical explanation for this. When you sleep, your body burns energy. This combustion causes you to exhale carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is what attracts mosquitoes. So the faster your metabolism, the more carbon dioxide and the more mosquitoes want to bite you. In addition, it also appears that larger and heavier people who burn more energy, therefore exhale more carbon dioxide and thus attract more mosquitoes.

Body odour

Thanks to a mosquito’s well-developed nose, it can pick up odours from a staggering 70 meters. That way, they can smell you from afar. Our body makes 300 chemical compounds and amino acids. Food, the use of medicines, but also our genes, determine our body odour. Mosquitoes can also perceive all these odours and find one smelling better than the other. Some scents can even repel mosquitoes. Unfortunately, you cannot influence this yourself. When mosquitoes like your odour, you will be stung faster. All has to do with the production of eggs. The female mosquito needs blood with the most amino acids to lay as many eggs as possible. So the mosquito can detect where the best blood is.

Bodyheat

In addition to carbon dioxide emissions and your body odour, mosquitoes are also attracted to body heat. The warmer your body is during your sleep, the bigger the chance mosquitoes will pick you. When you go to sleep, your body temperature drops. This is also why mosquitoes bite more during warm periods since your body is warmer than normal.

Avoid getting stung

Fortunately, there are several ways you can keep those pesky mosquitoes at bay. The most obvious way is a screen in front of your window or a bed canopy above your bed. The fine-mesh net of a bed canopy keeps mosquitoes away from you. Make sure that the bed canopy fits nicely over your bed. It will be a shame if your bed canopy is too short, and the mosquitoes can fly under it to bite you. Mosquitoes are attracted to body odour; it is wise to use DEET. This remedy has an unpleasant odour, which keeps the mosquitoes at a distance. You can also take a lukewarm shower before going to sleep, ensuring that your body temperature is regulated and mosquitoes are less likely to be attracted to your body heat.

Mosquito nets from Bambulah

Do you want to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and looking for a bed canopy? Then you’ve come to the right place at Bambulah! We have various bed canopies in the most extensive collection online. All our bed canopies are handmade & sustainably produced, as this is extremely important to us. We have it all, from round bed canopies and square mosquito nets to bed canopies for both single and double beds. So you can enjoy a night’s sleep without buzzing. Feel free to take a look at our webshop and find the bed canopy that suits your interior!