The carbon dioxide we produce when we breathe and the smells that our body emits are the main factors that make a person more or less "palatable" to mosquitoes .
Carbon dioxide is the trace par excellence followed by mosquitoes, which have a specific organ for this purpose. As a result, people who have more oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange, such as overweight, pregnant women or those who practice intense physical activity, will be an easier target.
Those who play sports are more at risk also due to the smell of lactic acid, uric acid and ammonia secreted by sweat during an effort. When they choose the possible prey, then, mosquitoes are guided by body heat: they are more attracted, in particular, by people with a higher temperature (so turning off the lights in the room does not make us less attractive).
Some scientific studies have suggested a preference for people with blood group "0", they are twice as often as those with blood type A; blood type B is about in the middle. Mosquitoes "perceive" the blood group, as indicated by a chemical signal secreted through the skin by about 85% of people (predisposition that depends on the genes).
Mosquitoes are also attracted by some types of bacteria that live on our skin, with strong scents and red or dark-colored clothes (they love blue and black).
