Is there any scientific evidence that...

**morteduzionism** · July 17, 2007, 01:12 PM

some people attract bugs more than others?

Lately I've become suspicious that bugs are attracted to me more than others. I've been sitting in places, with other people, and been swarmed by mosquitoes while EVERYONE else acts like there aren't any around.

It's not just mosquitoes. Ants, gnats, beetles, little moth looking things, roaches*, etc etc etc...The other day an ant, moth and mosquitoe all crawled on me at some point. I live in a city! What is the (bleeping) deal!?

Some days, I'm hit in the eye by a gnat(whatever) LITERALLY within 1 minute of leaving my building. In the morning there's usually(enough that I've noticed it) a moth sleeping on my door. I'VE NEVER SEEN A MOTH ON THE GUYS DOOR WHO LIVES ACROSS THE HALL.

So is it psychological? Am I just imagining that bugs are picking on me or is there evidence that bugs like some people more than others?

*roach story-while living in Texas(USA) I'm standing outside one evening...a (bleeping) roach just lands on my sleeve...I feel the slight change in weight...look down and see a gigantmongous roach looking at me...freaked me the (bleep) out! Being from a city, I never knew roaches could fly. But how/why does it land on me in the middle of the plains of Texas?

**Gary88** · July 17, 2007, 01:12 PM

what colour clothes are you wearing? also do you smell?

**morteduzionism** · July 17, 2007, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by Gary88

what colour clothes are you wearing? also do you smell?

different color clothes. Are there certain colors I should avoid?

Do I smell like what? Do I smell like I haven't bathed? Do I smell like cologne? Would you be a little more specific?

**Gary88** · July 17, 2007, 01:24 PM

i dunno about smell, try not to smell like an iced lolly (popsicle) and bright colours can attract bugs (like flowers) in my experience yellow is a bad choice as you end up covered in tiny little black bugs. diff bugs might like diff colours though

**Kaweh** · July 17, 2007, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Gary88

i dunno about smell, try not to smell like an iced lolly (popsicle) and bright colours can attract bugs (like flowers) in my experience yellow is a bad choice as you end up covered in tiny little black bugs. diff bugs might like diff colours though

I usually wear dark clothes, and I smell, well, I'd say I smell normal.

Like, I smell like my aftershave, deo, etc. I have noticed mosquitos seem to fear me. They actually fly away from me and hardly taste my blood. (I have the feeling that has been so since I once ate one of those bastards (not intendedly

)

On the other hand, who does not fear a Sith Knight filled and fuled with and by the Dark Side from head to toes?

K.K

**morteduzionism** · July 17, 2007, 01:56 PM

hmm, my situation seems abnormal.

I DO NOT wear bright clothes. I stick to solid earth tones: denim, khaki, brown, white, black, green and blue

I do not wear fruity smelling stuff. I wear Old Spice deodorant and body oils.

So there're no studies suggesting some people attract bugs more than others? Maybe I should try eating them too.

**Simetrical** · July 17, 2007, 02:21 PM

Mosquitoes are certainly attracted more to some people than to others. It has to do with skin scents, I suppose, or something of that sort. I've read the odd article about it, watched the odd show, that kind of thing. Google turns up various things.

Originally Posted by Gary88

and bright colours can attract bugs (like flowers)

Really? Perhaps, but I'm skeptical. Most bugs don't have terribly good vision. Certainly they'd be more noticeable, however, if they did show up. I'd always been under the impression that it was much more related to scent.

**mightyfenrir** · July 20, 2007, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by Gary88

i dunno about smell, try not to smell like an iced lolly (popsicle) and bright colours can attract bugs (like flowers) in my experience yellow is a bad choice as you end up covered in tiny little black bugs. diff bugs might like diff colours though

haha, you said iced lolly...

my mom gets bit by bugs a lot more than I do, I tell her it's because she's more hispanic than I am and they can sense that crazy latin blood.

**Trax** · July 25, 2007, 06:25 PM

I am less attractive to mosquitoes then most people, I have always thought that it´s so because I´m such a evil evil man.

**Denny Crane!** · July 25, 2007, 07:27 PM

I am sure there will be, I know from many years of experience that some animals will suffer more than others from fleas regardless of exposure to the areas that contain them and hand in hand the owners will suffer more or less, this surely can only be based on physiological causes.

**Cluny the Scourge** · August 05, 2007, 05:14 PM

Some people are just sweeter than others. Like sugar. That's how you know who to eat first when you "have to" resort to cannibalism - go for the ones the skeeters like.

Originally Posted by Gary88

i dunno about smell, try not to smell like an iced lolly

Does that take a particular effort of will? Do you find that you start to smell like an iced lolly if you don't practice meditation three times a day?

**Gary88** · July 17, 2007, 02:24 PM

Really? Perhaps, but I'm skeptical. Most bugs don't have terribly good vision. Certainly they'd be more noticeable, however, if they did show up. I'd always been under the impression that it was much more related to scent.

ive certainly found yellow and white (my white school shirt for instance) had me swarming with bugs where as the navy blues and dark greens i would wear out of school were not as bad, but i agree smell is more of a factor

**sephodwyrm** · July 18, 2007, 05:51 PM

It maybe the direction where your room is at.
Many insects tend to have an inbuilt sense of direction, sometimes overriden by environmental cues (as in the moths flying into the flame).

It could also be that your room just have more bugs because it has moisture. And it could also mean that you just repeatedly looked at the right places for bugs and made a big fuss about it. I see insects all the time but I am generally unconcerned about them.

**Hookah Smoking Caterpiller** · July 19, 2007, 03:30 PM

i get bitten all the time by bugs.

its dam annoying

**allthesedamnnamesaretaken** · July 20, 2007, 01:14 PM

here's some info on smells that mosquitos like:
http://www.tvnwt.com/arden/mosquito.htm
If you eat a lot of bananas, you'll get biten a lot. Eat garlic to ward off mosquitos (and consequently, other humans)

Mosquitos are also attracted to the color blue. I guess it's the color of a nice juicy vein for them to sink their proboscii into.

Mosquitoes track their "prey" by the trail of CO2 in exhaled breaths. There are mosquito catching machines that lead mosquitoes into traps by creating a constant stream of CO2

**Siblesz** · July 25, 2007, 11:38 PM

I hate mosquitoes... we had a game in my house in Venezuela of who could kill the most mosquitoes. They're blood-sucking bastards, they are. I hate it when they sneak up on your ear and make that buzz sound. It drives me nuts.

**Niles Crane** · July 25, 2007, 11:44 PM

When I was younger mosquitoes used to come and bite me all the time. Then I started killing them. I think they have me marked out as an animal to avoid.

**felicissimus** · July 30, 2007, 03:57 PM

I watched a movie(not the Scorpion King) in which bugs found somebody ontologically attractive because he was a son of the Devil .They would stick to him as to their master or something alike .I hope this doesn't discourage you

Maybe they just find you cute .

**Thanatos** · July 30, 2007, 09:19 PM

I've noticed the ways bees are attracted (either to a greater or lesser extent) by what I wear. Bees will, of course, be attracted to brighter colors.