My kids’ favorite trivia question: What is the world’s deadliest animal? It’s the pesky mosquito that kills over 1 million people worldwide each year.
Known as vectors, they transmit diseases such as malaria, dengue and West Nile, the latter being the most common in the U.S.
Mosquitoes need a mere half-inch of standing water to breed. We’ve hardly had a drop of rain this year, so it’s beyond me as to why they are so abundant now.
To be honest, I don’t know if the mosquitoes are worse this year. I’m one of those people who attract these little (insert your favorite four-letter word), so my perspective may be exaggerated. However, the welts and the itching caused by the injection of their saliva into the skin are no exaggeration!
Drawn from afar by the presence of carbon dioxide, lactic acid and ketones expired through the breath, strong olfactory senses help mosquitoes home in on their human target. Once they find their victim, they use the sense of taste to decide whether to bite.
The crème de la crème for a mosquito is the just-right blend of salt and certain amino acids produced and excreted in human sweat. You’re even more enticing when you host a combination of skin bacteria that catabolize proteins and lipids, leaving behind irresistible smells. That, my friends, is how you become a Michelin star in the eyes of the mosquito.
Despite the rumors, neither your blood type nor your gender makes you more susceptible to becoming a mosquito victim.
Presumably, you’d rather know how not to attract mosquitoes. DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) remains one of the most effective chemicals to deter mosquitoes. But from the general public’s perspective, it’s not always perceived as a benign option.
Are there scientific studies or news reports of harm associated with the use of DEET? Of course, but note the details. Harm or death is usually associated with use outside of recommendations, like drinking insect spray. Yes, that has killed a couple of people. Harm-related incidents usually involve excessive use or application to the hands before eating (most commonly in children).
When applied according to directions and used only periodically, there is no significant cause for concern related to toxicity. With just a few sprays of 30% to 40% DEET, applied in an open-air location, preferably on clothes (and not directly on hands), DEET can be effective for up to 12 hours.
Regardless, your preference may be to avoid DEET. And, if your outdoor adventures generally lead you to a backyard barbecue or a high alpine hike as opposed to the heart of the Amazon jungle or sub-Sarahan Africa, your risk-benefit analysis is fair.
There are many suggested home remedies out there, but do they work?
Some suggest vitamin B supplementation; however, evidence does not support this. How about eating garlic? Also no, but it may repel friends and family, possibly vampires.
Plant-based essential oils, such as citronella and catnip have some efficacy, but none compare to DEET.
Wet year or dry year, it seems that mosquitoes are part of the outdoor experience. I wonder how hard my family will laugh when I sit down for dinner wearing a full-body bug net?
Nicole Clark is director of La Plata County Extension Office. Reach her at [email protected].
