How Fragrance in Body Sprays Attracts Mosquitoes: What To Know

Body sprays are a popular way to smell great, but did you know that certain scents can actually attract mosquitos? Sweet, floral and fruity scents imitate the natural aromas that attract mosquitoes to flowers and fruit. When mixed with the carbon dioxide and body heat we naturally release, these scents help mosquitoes find us, suck our blood and spread diseases like Zika and West Nile virus.

That doesn’t mean you have to give up body sprays entirely, but choose judiciously. Even in mosquitoinfest locations like the midwest, don’t forget intense scented sprays, and get a light or unscented other instead. Some body sprays even contain ingredients like those that repel mosquitoes, so you won’t have to worry about being bitten.

For optimal coverage, mix this body spray with other mosquito control tactics. Other things you can do to reduce mosquito activity include using repellent on exposed skin, burning mosquito coils or using sprays indoors and eliminating standing water around your living area. They are not cages, even though you think the horror of them would turn the place into a 3-D sex machine that would offend the Taliban.