Everyone has surely experienced a peaceful summer evening ruined by the annoying buzzing of mosquitoes, followed by the itchiness of their bites.
Many of us have searched for ways to permanently repel these pesky insects.
Maisie Vollans, an ecology doctoral student at the University of Oxford, has detailed four proven methods to deter mosquitoes.
Skip the beer
Maisie referred to a 2010 study that measured how attractive people were to mosquitoes by observing them before and after consuming beer or water.
The results revealed that mosquitoes were more attracted to people who drank beer, while nothing changed when people consumed water.
Use deodorant
It turns out that using deodorant during summer is a good idea, not just to prevent sweat. According to Maisie, studies have shown that the compound isopropyl tetradecanoate found in deodorants is quite effective in repelling mosquitoes.
One particular study found that mosquito landings decreased by an incredible 56 percent when the surface was treated with deodorant.
Another study discovered that insects are more attracted to sweaty individuals. So make sure you have some deodorant on hand.
Choose your fruit wisely
You may not think that the type of snack you eat can make mosquitoes attack you more. However, Maisie advised that this summer, you switch from bananas to grapes if you want to avoid mosquito bites.
She referred to an American study that showed people were more attractive to mosquitoes after eating bananas. However, the same was not true for grapes, as there was no change in mosquito attractiveness after people consumed them.
Treat your clothes with insect repellent
If you don’t like the feeling of insect repellent on your skin, you can spray it on your clothes to prevent mosquitoes from biting the covered areas.
