Mosquito-proof fashion? The surprising link between shirt color and fewer bites
Mosquitos are buzzing; summer must be here. Advice from biologists on how to avoid being bit.
With the beginning of summer comes a wave of nostalgic memories: school’s out, beach getaways, and long, relaxing walks through nature. But sadly, these perfect summer moments often come with an annoying downside, the unwelcome presence of mosquitoes, ready to ruin the fun.
These tiny biting insects often leave their victims with red, itchy scars. Worst still, numerous diseases and viruses are carried by the winged insects, meaning that they are definitely best avoided.
Fortunately, a new study from the University of Washington claims to have uncovered the secret: wearing cooler colors.
Researchers found that a species of common mosquito is more likely to be attracted to red or orange colors because they are closer to the color emitted by human skin. At the other end of the spectrum, mosquitos ignore cooler shades of green, blue, purple, and white.
Avoid red clothes to steer clear of mosquito bites
The study, titled ‘The olfactory gating of visual preferences to human skin and visible spectra in mosquitoes’, examines several elements involved in how mosquitoes select their hosts and mates. In their abstract, the scientists summarized their findings as follows:
The study was carried out with the use of a real-time 3D tracking system to quantify the behavior of more than 1.3 million mosquito trajectories. It was carried out in a wind tunnel so scientists could control factors that might influence mosquito decision-making.
Professor explains Washington study
Jeffrey Riffell, a biology professor at the University of Washington, explains that it was once believed mosquitoes were mainly drawn by breath, sweat, and skin temperature. However, his research team discovered that color also plays a significant role in what attracts mosquitoes to a person.
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“In this study, we found a fourth cue: the color red, which can not only be found on your clothes but is also found in everyone’s skin,” he said.
Another important conclusion drawn from the study was the impact of odor on mosquitoes’ behavior. They found that without any odor stimulus (recreating the CO2 produced by humans and other animals), mosquitoes largely ignored all colors. However, once a small amount of CO2 was added to the wind tunnel, the mosquitoes were far more drawn to red, orange, and black objects.
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