Mosquito Myths: Fact or Fiction?

A vast 84% of Americans believe this to be false, but we can confirm that it is in fact true. Mosquitoes are attracted to high levels of carbon dioxide, elevated temperature, and lactic acid, all of which increase in our bodies when we drink alcohol, particularly fermented beverages such as beer and wine.

That means you need to go easy on the brewskies or wine coolers - especially if you’re sitting outdoors.

The unfortunate news is that this is true, so you may have to skip the avocado at brunch if you want to reduce your chances of being bitten. Mosquitoes are in fact influenced by what you eat and less than a quarter of Americans believe this to be true with most Google searches coming from Florida, California, Texas, New York and Ohio.

The reason this happens is because some foods increase our lactic acid levels or expel more lactic acid from our bodies. Bananas and avocados fall into this category. Mosquitoes can also be bothersome for pickled food lovers, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and cider, which will all make you more attractive to a mosquito.

What foods drive mosquitoes away? Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence to support the claims about certain foods repelling mosquitoes.

More than 26,000 online searches, mostly from Virginia, are conducted about whether or not citronella candles are effective mosquito repellents. The answer to this belief, surprisingly, is false. While more than a third of Americans believe this to be true, TruGreen’s staff entomologist has confirmed that the citronella candle is an ineffective way to repel mosquitoes.

In fact, one would need to burn a significant quantity of citronella to effectively overwhelm a mosquito's senses. So, before you go lighting up a room full of candles and run the risk of setting the house on fire, be advised that you’re better off with a good-quality mosquito repellent.

There is a popular misconception that mosquitoes like ‘sweet blood.’ More than a fifth of Americans polled have bought into this belief, which renders more than 4,000 searches each month from concerned investigators in Louisiana, Alaska, Oklahoma and Indiana.

The verdict is that this belief is false. There is no such thing as ‘sweet blood’. While the female mosquito requires a certain protein in blood to complete the life cycle of her eggs, the taste is not a factor. We can confirm, however, that there is documented evidence to support the theory that mosquitoes are drawn to the O blood group over blood groups A, B or AB.

Although almost a third of people polled believe this is true, it's actually false. While there are plants, like thyme, peppermint, lavender, basil, geraniums, rosemary, verbena and marigolds, whose scent can overwhelm a mosquito’s senses, one needs to be cognizant of quantities required. 

A gardener would need to grow an enormous amount of these plants to effectively repel mosquitoes, which is simply not feasible in most suburban gardens.

While most Americans are aware that this is false, 16% of respondents did agree with the statement. TruGreen experts explain that there are many different types of mosquitoes, which are active at different times of the day. The Aedes species of mosquito, for example, are daytime biters while Anopheles tend to bite at dusk and dawn, and the Culex species bites in the evening.

Mosquito activity is also influenced by climate and environment. Warmer weather and shady areas are favored by mosquitoes. We suggest using TruGreen Mosquito Defense solutions to control unwanted mosquito activity.

While almost a fifth of Americans polled believe that all over-the-counter repellants work, this is in fact false.

When it comes to choosing a mosquito repellant, TruGreen experts recommend a product that contains at least 15% DEET. This is a common ingredient used in the manufacture of US mosquito repellents and consistently ranks as one of the top insect-repelling products in consumer testing reports. The balance of evidence also indicates that DEET is safe to use as directed.