Why Do Mosquitoes Get Bited After Drinking Alcohol?

Until recently, most people believed that drinking alcohol made them more susceptible to mosquito bites. A few scientists have investigated this connection and found that people are three to four times more likely to get bit by a mosquito after consuming alcoholic beverages. However, researchers do not have a clear explanation for why this happens.

Scientists have long wondered how alcohol affects other creatures, especially insects. They believe that alcohol metabolism may change odours and cues. Insects can also become resistant to alcohol’s effects.

Alcohol is a vasodilator, which means it dilates blood vessels, moving warm blood closer to the surface. This can make blood taste tastier to insects. But alcohol isn’t a food source for mosquitoes. They rely on a special enzyme to break down alcohol before it enters their nervous system.

When an insect eats fermenting fruit, it contains at least one percent alcohol. Several species of mosquitos are known to dine on these fruits. A common fruit fly, often called a vinegar fly, has a powerful taste for alcohol-laden rotting fruit.

Other insects, such as skeeters, are known to feed on fermenting plants. In fact, the skeeter is known to develop a Ruthian ability to hold liquor. This may have boosted their tolerance to alcohol.

A recent study has found that alcohol-like chemicals are attracted to certain colors, such as orange and red. Although it’s not clear why this is the case, it could help explain why alcohol is so appealing to mosquitoes.

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