Imagine taking a sip of a cold beer on a hot day, only to realize that mosquitoes are ready to pounce.
Unfortunately, a new study indicates the insects are especially attracted to beer drinkers.
“We found that mosquitoes are drawn to those who avoid sunscreen, drink beer and share their bed,” the research suggests.
Researchers from Radboud University Nijmegen set up a pop-up lab at the festival in Amsterdam two years ago, where 500 volunteers filled out questions about their hygiene, diet and behavior at the event. To determine how the mosquitoes were attracted, they placed their arm into a cage with the insects.
The analysis found that participants who drank beer were 1.35 times more likely to have encounters with mosquitoes than those who were sober. Furthermore, the mosquitoes appealed to those who had slept with someone the previous night.
“They simply have a taste for the hedonists among us,” the researchers acknowledged.
Individuals who showered recently and wore sunscreen were found to be less attractive to the mosquitoes.
