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There must be some benefit to mosquitos, but for the life of us we can't figure out what that might be. Every spring and summer, we do battle with the little menaces, but let us help you level the playing field a bit. Here are a few tips on how you can be less of an appealing banquet to those bloodsuckers:
- Lay Off The Alcohol: Mosquitos track you by your heat signature. Alcohol raises your body temperature, making you easier to find. Drink something that will cool you down, not warm you up.
- Stop Breathing: Not really, but be aware that mosquitos can smell carbon dioxide from over 200 feet away. So, if you're exercising or exerting yourself, they smell you better...plus, the more you exhale, the more heat you expel, which takes us back to point #1.
- Insect Repellent Is Key: Sounds obvious, but most of us, when we apply it, miss a few spots...and mosquitos will zone in on those unprotected areas. Make sure you get thorough coverage. Also, know that DEET is considered the best of the best; oil of lemon eucalyptus is a plant-derived option that works almost as well.
- Try Desert Living: Again, we're exaggerating to make a point. Female mosquitos use standing water to breed, and they don't need much - as little as a bottle cap full of water. Puddles, pools, even saturated soil can serve as a haven for a growing mosquito population...and that population will be hungry. Do your best to avoid these mosquito-approved environs.
- Is Your Blood Type Tasty?: Blood type plays a a role. People with blood type O get bitten twice as often as those with type A, with type B falling somewhere in between.
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Photo: Getty Images