Why don't Mosquitos bite me?

[TTSIssues]

Clearly, not complaining about this, but I would like to understand why. For example, couple of nights ago I sat with a mate having a beer, same table, even same bench seat. He got bitten 17 times - me, nothing! My mother gets bitten daily, my wife and her family - everyone apart from me. I have had one bite in 10 years!

As I said, not a complaint, but I wondered if anyone with a medical background might know why this is. Sometimes I wish I could bottle myself and sell it to other people as a repellant :-)

[lazygourmet]

You are not alone...

[mogandave]

They don’t bite me either.

When I was about 16 I slept by a creek in Montana and got bit all over my face until my eyes swelled almost shut. I don’t think I’ve been bit since.

[MB1]

OP, I don't know why they don't bite you, and I don't know why they DO bite me even though it's not very often, but when they do the little bast**ds seem to do a prolonged attack to the same area and I end up with several bites on my lower legs even when I'm covered in deet..Maybe it's the chang or JD their after...

[barefoot1988]

i have heard about ozzies been attracted to cholestrol and blood a type

[Songhua]

One mozzie in the room and it'll head for me. I usually get eaten alive while others around me don't get a single bite. Beats me!

[David48]

i have heard about ozzies been attracted to cholestrol and blood a type

I have heard about ozzies been attracted to cholestrol alcohol also ... ... must be their blood type.

[absolute11]

Welcome to the very fortunate club. Mosquitos excrete a numbing agent when they bite, so you don't feel it. The itchy red spot is the body reacting to the substance and attacking it. So, you most certainly are being bitten, but for whatever reason your body does not react to the numbing agent.

[NeverSure]

That's my guess too. You aren't allergic to the proteins in the bite. I'm not either. I've watched them stick their proboscis in me and suck the blood, but I don't feel it or get any swelling from it.

I'm also not allergic to the proteins in poison oak or ivy. I read that only about 25% of the population is affected by it.

Link

[habfan]

I live in rural North Thailand and I do get bitten but only at certain times (before the sun comes up and just after it goes down) so if I can avoid being outside during these times I'm usually fine. Unfortunately these are my favorite times of the day.

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

i have heard about ozzies been attracted to cholestrol and blood a type

i will remember that if i ever find myself in perth.

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

fragrances used, shampoo, skin cream, conditioner hygeine etc all seem to have an effect.

years ago when i worked in the bush in British Colombia, you could clearly see the mosquitos swarming around the heads of people who had just washed their hair in the evenings.

[NomadJoe]

Welcome to the very fortunate club. Mosquitos excrete a numbing agent when they bite, so you don't feel it. The itchy red spot is the body reacting to the substance and attacking it. So, you most certainly are being bitten, but for whatever reason your body does not react to the numbing agent.

I used to be a sales rep for mossi repellent (among other things) and the above is correct. Some people just don't react to the bites, but for certain are getting bitten. Although there is clear evidence that certain things that attract them more, like eating banana's and wearing dark clothing.

[fletchsmile]

It's about 1 in 10 people who seem to be unaffected. Key factors are odours and chemicals secreted by the body. Mosquitos having a keen sense of smell and can smell their dinner about 50 metres away.

The other factor of course is that the mosquitos who bite are female. Do you have problems attracting other females in Thailand? Again 9 out of 10 men don't. Maybe you're just not "hansum man" enough for Thai females to stick their teeth into.

Cheers

Fletch

[Bluetongue]

Well as a victim of malaria and dengue fever I can only hope that I don't become a blood meal for another vector. In a lot of areas of Thailand you would be relatively safe from the former but certainly not out East here next to Cambodia, one of the world hot spots. I use repellent a lot more now, the clear liquid atomiser one is the best I reckon. At work previously I got a guided tour of the Malaria Institute at Enoggera in Brisbane and they have a colony of millions and a glass box which various volunteers stick their arm into, everyone gets bitten believe me. They also have a colony of monkeys they infect, very distressing

[chrisinth]

I live in rural North Thailand and I do get bitten but only at certain times (before the sun comes up and just after it goes down) so if I can avoid being outside during these times I'm usually fine. Unfortunately these are my favorite times of the day.

My theory is that this is their 12 hour shift change. So at these times you get twice as many of the little blighters........................

[Choonpon]

i have heard about ozzies been attracted to cholestrol and blood a type

I don't have high cholestrol but mozzies love me very much:(

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Choonpon]

That's my guess too. You aren't allergic to the proteins in the bite. I'm not either. I've watched them stick their proboscis in me and suck the blood, but I don't feel it or get any swelling from it.

 

I'm also not allergic to the proteins in poison oak or ivy. I read that only about 25% of the population is affected by it.

 

Link

So envy!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[GBK]

I don't get bitten either. It's down to the type of odour that your body emits, as alluded to above, i.e., the specific chemicals involved. The BBC covered this in a documentary a while back and it should be easy to search it out online.

[pgrahmm]

Because they know I'm somewhere within 500 miles - and apparently worth the flight.......

Edited August 16, 2013 by metisdead
Font

[Richie23]

Welcome to the very fortunate club. Mosquitos excrete a numbing agent when they bite, so you don't feel it. The itchy red spot is the body reacting to the substance and attacking it. So, you most certainly are being bitten, but for whatever reason your body does not react to the numbing agent.

Agreed. My understanding is that we all get bitten, but some just don't know it as the body shows no reaction.

[Mudcrab]

They are attracted to CO2 emitted by the body...the OP is one of the lucky ones who don't feel the bite. But don't kid yourself...you will certainly feel the effect of any virus they may pass on to you. There is also the sandfliy/midgie (choose your own colloquialism) issue. I can sit all evening long scratching and spraying DEET but my missus and her friends don't feel a thing.

[lineofentry]

Your blood is too quiet, they can't hear you.

[superdome]

Mozzies wont bite if u r a smoker,the vitiman B in nicotine is in your system and they don't like it...if u have a high vitimam B content in your blood/system that will keep them away

[Mudcrab]

Mozzies wont bite if u r a smoker,the vitiman B in nicotine is in your system and they don't like it...if u have a high vitimam B content in your blood/system that will keep them away

Good theory..but wrong

[ukrules]

You're definitely getting bitten, there's no doubt about that.

You just don't have a reaction to it.

Going to a different area with different mosquitos could be very different.

If you ever go to a Malaria / Dengue infected area don't assume you're not getting bitten, you may not have a reaction to the bites but you most definitely would have a reaction to the Malaria or Dengue.

[aussiep]

Hi,

I also don't get bitten. Have always taken Vitamin "C".

Told Dr about this, said he had heard the same. But said there was me proof of this.

aussiep

[theblether]

People who are being bitten......wash your feet and and lower legs then dry them off. Then soak the same areas with vinegar and let it dry in. Leave it an hour or so and rinse the vinegar off with water, water only.

Mossies are attracted to the bacteria which gathers around this area. That's why you'll see people with multiple bites on their lower legs and virtually none elsewhere.

Repeat the exercise once a month and you'll find a big difference.

[slipperylobster]

This info could be helpful.....perhaps because you are stressed out.

The researchers have identified a handful of the body's chemical odors—some of which may be related to stress—that are present in significantly larger concentrations in people that the bugs are happier to leave alone. If efforts to synthesize these particular chemicals are successful, the result could be an all-natural mosquito repellent that is more effective and safer than products currently available.

taken from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204660604574378933761528214.html

On the other hand, only female mosquito bite. It could be that you are either not handsome or are possibly gay !

[Commander Tamson]

Mozzies wont bite if u r a smoker,the vitiman B in nicotine is in your system and they don't like it...if u have a high vitimam B content in your blood/system that will keep them away

Unfortunately not true. I'm a smoker, although not a heavy one and I take a vitamin B supplement every day. I reckon that if there was only one mozzie in the whole of Thailand it would find and bite me!! Might give the Blether's vinegar trick a try though.