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06/04/08, 07:53 PM
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Bitter Clinger
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,780
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Why are some people not bothered by mosquitoes?
I did some googling and didn't find anything concrete. I found some theories about some things, but they don't seem to apply. For example, I drink booze, which one theory says will deter mosquitoes, but I haven't been bothered by skeeters my entire life so my booze drinking shouldn't be the answer.
The closest theory I have found is that a skeeter bite is an allergic reaction which most people are allergic to, just that some people are not and those that are not don't even notice that they are getting bitten as much as other people are because they have no reaction. (I am extra allergic to bees, not anaphylactic shock allergic but more allergic than most)
Anyone ever hear a theory on this?
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"Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built."
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06/04/08, 07:56 PM
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Appalachian American
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SW VA
Posts: 10,637
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I'm one of those that mosquitos ignore. I've heard theories about zinc levels or something like that, but nothing positive. Rose on the other hand, is a mosquito magnet.
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06/04/08, 07:58 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 4,353
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Don't know for sure but I heard it was body temp. If your body temp is slightly higher than whomever you are with, you are the one the bugs will go for first. If on another day, your body temp is slightly lower than whomever you are with, then that person acts like a bug repellent for you, because they are gonna get bitten before you. That explains why sometimes you get eaten up, and other times you don't, even in the same place with the bugs all around. But I don't remember where I heard that info, so it could be true, could be false.
Cindyc.
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06/04/08, 08:01 PM
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Bitter Clinger
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,780
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hmmmmm....maybe. My body temp does tend to run colder. If I have a temp of 100, that is pretty serious for me. It's like other people having a temp of 102
__________________
"Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built."
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06/04/08, 08:03 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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I think it all has to do with the "what you resist, persists" philosophy...skeeters ignore me but oh boy do they get my hubby...and EVERYBODY hears about it. The first one he hears buzzing around him and he has a tantrum with flapping, stomping, swearing, running, slamming. Then he scratches the bites until all that is left is a big bloody hole.
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Teach only Love...for that is what You are 
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06/04/08, 08:04 PM
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Appalachian American
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SW VA
Posts: 10,637
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Skeeters rarely ever bother me, even when I'm alone.
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06/04/08, 08:04 PM
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Original recipe!
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: NC foothills
Posts: 13,984
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Skeeters love me and if I am bitten somewhere tender like my stomach it swells like crazy. And if I scratch that tender area bite the welt will stretch all the way across my stomach or inner thigh etc.. but on my tough old outer arm it just makes a normal welt... well, large, but normal for me.
I am not bothered by chiggers.. have never, ever had a chigger. My SD got them something awful and it was my job to paint them with nail polish.
We do not eat bananas during mosquito season for I have heard that bananas in your system draws them to you more... that would be in line with the zinc thing I think.
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06/04/08, 08:47 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: AR
Posts: 2,260
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chickenista
Skeeters love me and if I am bitten somewhere tender like my stomach it swells like crazy. And if I scratch that tender area bite the welt will stretch all the way across my stomach or inner thigh etc.. but on my tough old outer arm it just makes a normal welt... well, large, but normal for me.
I am not bothered by chiggers.. have never, ever had a chigger. My SD got them something awful and it was my job to paint them with nail polish.
We do not eat bananas during mosquito season for I have heard that bananas in your system draws them to you more... that would be in line with the zinc thing I think.
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nail polish is an ol tale when you itch they are long gone as for the other buggers some people give of more carbin dioxcide then others and thats what brings them on
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Don't complain, just do it
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06/04/08, 08:50 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by deaconjim
Skeeters rarely ever bother me, even when I'm alone.
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Probably because (like me) your not paranoid about them and expecting them to bother you 
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Teach only Love...for that is what You are
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06/04/08, 08:54 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 859
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i've read that people who are anemic or at least have thin blood are more attractive to mosquitoes because the thinner blood is easier to suck.
pretty much plays out with people I know. me, my other and my SIL have never been able to give blood because it's too thin (they won't let us). my dad and BIL have incredibly thick blood that if they are pricked just barely oozes. mine runs like water.
squitos love my mom and I, ignore my dad entirely.
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06/04/08, 09:00 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: OlyPen
Posts: 4,142
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The difference in my family members is those who eat lots of sugar get eaten alive, those of us who don't eat sweets get left alone. I also have a lower body temperature than the others, perhaps because I don't eat sugar I don't burn as hot?
I don't buy bananas during skeeter season, that makes a difference. Perhaps because they're sweet?
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06/04/08, 10:19 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 2,736
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I read somewhere that brewer's yeast helps, & I use nutritional yeast on my popcorn. I'm assuming it's the same thing. Anyway, skeeters annoy me but rarely bite. Tonight I just walked through a huge swarm of them & they ignored me. But when I do get bit, it's usually pretty bad.
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God bless,
Bonnie
Opportunity Farm
Northeast Washington
"While we have the opportunity, let us do good to all." Galatians 6:10
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06/04/08, 10:33 PM
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Part of it could be how you stink. My brothers eat match heads when they're out in the field with their National Guard Unit and they don't get bothered by bugs. They eat them a day or two before they go out so it has time to get into their system and sweat out. They stink like sulfur, but they don't have bug bites. I guess they prefer the manly stink of sulfur over Avon's Skin So Soft.... 
Bananas have potassium which bonds with magnesium and zinc. Makes sense that not eating bananas would help with the body chemistry.
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06/04/08, 10:45 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Back in the USSR
Posts: 9,961
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Mtman gave you the answer. Mosquitos follow the carbon dioxide and octenol, a form of alcohol, from your breath. They follow your breath upstream until they find the source.
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06/04/08, 11:45 PM
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Original recipe!
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: NC foothills
Posts: 13,984
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Okay... the sulfur thing.... the hardware store chic here swears by feeding her dogs sulfur in the summer to conrtol fleas and ticks... if military men can eat sulfur, I guess it wouldn't kill me or my dogs.... right? I would for mosquitos to not like me... or DS and my dogs....
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06/04/08, 11:56 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,210
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I take a big potassium pills daily to go with my water pill for high blood pressure. I adore all sweets and drink sweet tea constantly. I live in a very hot, humid mosquito heaven, and am never, ever bothered by them. All my family and friends will run for cover at sunset, and they can swarm everywhere about and never bother me....they bite but it never has an effect on me. I tend to believe it's an allergic reaction, that I don't have, but others do. I can watch one bite me....hold up my arm and let them finish biting me until they are full and watch them fly off....and I never feel a thing, or itch afterwards. No mark, no redness, nothing. 
Now "Off" the spray that people put on themselves.....that stuff bugs me. I spray it on and feel like I am itching all over. Figure that one out. 
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06/05/08, 12:43 AM
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Fire On The Mountain
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 1,452
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They don't bother me very much, not nearly as much as they bother other people. The thing is, I can't feel them for some reason. I don't feel them land on me and I don't feel them biting. So, even if I do get bit, I won't realize until about an hour later when the bites start to itch a little. Even so, I just don't get as many bites as other people. I had no idea it could be related to body temperature, until I read this thread. My body temperature is naturally a little lower than other people's. So, maybe that really does have something to do with it.
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06/05/08, 12:54 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,510
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Oh how I wish I was one of those who mosquito never bother. They devour me and have since I was a little kid. It wasn't uncommon for me to have dozens of bites on me as a kid since I was outside so much. I slept outside one night in an open tent and ended up with so many bites my mom freaked and took me to the doctor. I was simply covered in bites. My summertimes were a ritual of OFF! spray down sessions. "Close your eyes and hold your breath"
Even now I get chewed up. I've got 8 bites right now.
My theory is that my blood must be like candy to them. You know, cuz I'm just so terribly sweet.
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Respect The Cactus!
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06/05/08, 06:39 AM
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country friend
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Southeastern Indiana
Posts: 175
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They used to get me real bad . I started taking garlic a few years ago for a different reason . A good side effect was that bugs just do not like garlic .I take two soft gel garlic tablets daily it brought my blood levels down .
indiana Country Friend Jack
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06/05/08, 07:31 AM
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Max
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Near Traverse City Michigan
Posts: 6,560
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I think some people have a higher tollerence for irritation.
My brother doesnt swat at them or even seem like he notices them when he is camping, but I am almost unable to perform simple tasks because I am so out of my mind hearing them, swatting at them, and trying to avoid them.
I hate'em!
Hate'em Hate'em Hate'em!!!
Im a big girly man when it comes to mosquitos
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