Tri-City Mosquitos Are Out and Here’s Why They’re Hungry For You
You know it's a serious bug time of year when the Benton County Mosquito Control patrol is sending out multiple alerts about spraying for mosquitos with low flying aircraft over populated areas.
Just today, control dusting was done in the Yakima / Columbia River deltas area, Bateman Island, Columbia Point and Two Rivers Park.
Officials are advising you to do your part around your place to eliminate standing water in neglected buckets, flowerpots, trash cans, and other containers that can develop mosquitoes.
On a recent boating outing, afloat on the Columbia River during a beautiful early Columbia Basin summer night, my night quickly turned slappy as most all my exposed flesh was fresh full of mosquito bites. As I was getting tagged right between twilight and dusk, I decided to figure out why I was being chomped on while the others on the float were left alone.
Here's some of what I found. Maybe one or more of these things make your list, if you find yourself constantly being harassed by bugs.
1) The body's temperature is slightly higher than other people's. Variables include your gender, age, how much you move around, and whether or not you eat spicy food.
2) Exercise. It raises your body temperature and makes you produce more carbon dioxide and lactic acid, which mosquitos love. They also like pregnant women, sorry ladies, because your temperature is higher and you produce more CO2, too.
3) You're stressed out. Studies show mosquitos can be drawn to the hormones that come out in your sweat when you're stressed.
4) You haven't showered in awhile. They're attracted to a specific type of bacteria and we tend to have more bacteria near our ankles and feet.
5) Dark clothing. Reds, blacks and blues are no-nos. Yellows and whites are much better.
6) Alcohol. It dilates the blood vessels in your skin, making it a little warmer for awhile. And they're also attracted to the ethanol that comes out in your sweat.
And now you know.