Mosquitoes find humans mainly by detecting a combination of cues including carbon dioxide we exhale, body heat, and odors from our skin and sweat. They have specialized olfactory receptors on their antennae and other parts to sense chemicals like lactic acid, ammonia, and acidic volatiles in human sweat. The carbon dioxide in our breath acts as a long-range signal, drawing them from as far as 30-50 feet. Once close, they hone in on body heat and specific smells produced by skin microbes breaking down sweat secretions. This multi-signal detection system makes mosquitoes very effective at locating people to bite.
Key signals mosquitoes use to locate humans:
- Carbon dioxide: sensed from distance, triggers attraction and search behavior.
- Body odors: chemicals in sweat like lactic acid and ammonia attract mosquitoes.
- Body heat: helps them find exact location when near.
- Visual cues: high contrast objects and skin hues also help guide them.
- Skin microbes: break down sweat to create attractive smells.
This complex combination enables mosquitoes to efficiently find and feed on humans.
