Heat and humidity, that’s the perfect combination to see mosquito colonies happily thriving… Bad news for those who like to sleep with the windows open and laze in the garden at the end of the day. And if we’re not all alike when it comes to mosquito bites, there are simple tips to avoid getting bitten. One is to carefully choose your outfit for dining out. Indeed, certain colors may attract these dreaded insects more, science magazine reveals Nature communication.
Natural tips to avoid bites
Do you want to put an end to ultra-chemical mosquito repellents? Fortunately, simple and natural tips make it possible to create (at least partially) a barrier to these insects. To get started, it is recommended to: wear covering clothes legs and arms to limit the surface of temptation.
Also focus on mosquito nets for your bedroom windows and place related plants for windows and in the garden. Geraniums, lemongrass and lavender have the advantage of effectively repelling mosquitoes. And, in particular, eliminate areas for rainwater retention such as pots and planters where they tend to lay their larvae.
Colors to Avoid to Repel Mosquitoes
According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington in the United States and published in February 2022 in the scientific journal NatureCommunication, four colors would tend to attract mosquitoes. These are black, red, orange and cyan (blue).
The researchers focused on three types of mosquitoes: Aedes aegyptian, Anopheles Stephensic and Culex quinque fascias (vectors of diseases such as dengue fever or Nile fever), from which they selected the females in search of blood for their reproduction. “They then created a tunnel of colored spots that mimicked human skin and hair tones, and combined them with various shades of other colors. Mosquitoes were attracted to CO2 and scientists were able to study their trajectories.”precisely NEWS on his site.
As a result, insects would be attracted to red-orange colors and black, probably related to the natural tones of human skin. On the other hand, the study shows that mosquitoes would not be attracted to green, blue and purple.
So you know how to dress to avoid the worst!