My gran taught me the best summer trick to scare away bugs – my friends say I look ‘ridiculous’ but I NEVER get bitten
IF you’re more prone to bug bites than your friends, there may be a simple reason.
One person shared the hack their grandmother swore by to keep insects away.
Commenting on a Reddit post, an unnamed user revealed the reason why bugs target specific people.
They responded to a poster who said they were “getting eaten alive” by bugs.
“Mosquitos are attracted mainly to the carbon dioxide you exhale,” they explained.
“[When working outside], you [should] control your breathing by working slowly and not exerting yourself [to avoid getting bitten].”
As well as controlling your breathing, reducing your sweat excretion is another necessity.
According to the National Institutes of Health, a mosquito’s ability to detect skin odor is directly related to its reception of carbon dioxide.
The Redditor revealed a technique passed down through their family for deterring bugs.
“A trick my grandmother taught me was to dip the cloth into water before wrapping it around my neck that keeps me relatively cool,” they said.
“My friends say I look ridiculous, but I never get insect bites.”
The poster also suggested confusing the insects by adding other smells into the mix.
“You can also disguise your carbon dioxide footprint by masking it with natural repellents like mint or basil,” they wrote.
For the best coverage, they recommended growing these aromatic herbs in your flower beds.
The poster also discussed the role of colour in attracting insects such as mosquitos.
A study published in Nature Communications revealed that clothing colours can cause a variation in the amount of bug bites you receive.
“Mosquitos are attracted to red and black cloths, with darker colours being more attractive than lighter shades,” they concluded.
More mosquito tips
- Place cloves inside a wedge of lemon and leave it out in your home.
- Spray yourself with a mixture of cinnamon, rubbing alcohol, dish detergent, and water.
- Plant lavender, marigolds, and rosemary in your garden.
- Leave out a bowl of mint in your home.
- Place dryer sheets in your pockets before spending time outdoors.
The experts compared the effect of carbon dioxide and color on mosquitos as similar to the tempting scent of a baked goods to a human.
“I personally cover every single part of my body when gardening,” the Redditor said.
“Over my regular clothes I wear a loosely fitting white shirt that’s a few sizes too big.”
They added that they tuck their gardening gloves inside their shirt and wear long pants tucked into their socks.
To secure their piece of cooling cloth, the poster said they opt for a large hat.