Understanding Mosquito Attraction: The Role of Color and Carbon Dioxide

Recent research has shed light on how mosquitoes locate their hosts, emphasizing the interplay between visual cues and olfactory signals. A study led by Professor Jeffrey Riffell at the University of Washington investigated the attraction of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to various colors in the presence of carbon dioxide (CO₂), a gas humans exhale. The findings indicate that mosquitoes are particularly drawn to colors such as red, orange, black, and cyan when CO₂ is present, while they tend to ignore colors like green, purple, blue, and white under the same conditions. This suggests that mosquitoes use a combination of scent and color to identify potential hosts. Understanding these preferences can inform strategies to reduce mosquito bites by advising individuals to avoid wearing colors that attract mosquitoes and to use repellents that mask CO₂ emissions.