# Beer and Body Odor Attract Mosquitoes. DEET Blocks Their Attraction
Mosquitoes don't bite everyone equally. Research shows that certain behaviors and body chemistry make some people mosquito magnets, while others get bitten far less often.
Drinking beer increases your attractiveness to mosquitoes. A study published in the journal PLOS ONE found that consuming alcohol raises lactic acid levels in sweat and body odor, making you easier for mosquitoes to locate. The insects detect these chemical signals through specialized receptors on their antennae, homing in on prey from considerable distances.
Body odor itself plays a major role. Mosquitoes use a combination of carbon dioxide from breath and volatile compounds in skin odor to find hosts. People with naturally higher levels of lactic acid, ammonia, or other sweat compounds attract more bites. Genetics influences this susceptibility, which explains why some family members get swarmed while others escape unscathed.
DEET, the gold-standard insect repellent, directly counters this attraction. Applied to skin and clothing, DEET doesn't kill mosquitoes but rather prevents them from landing. The chemical disrupts the insects' ability to detect human odors by interfering with their olfactory receptors. Products containing 20 to 30 percent DEET provide reliable protection for several hours, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Beyond DEET, other strategies reduce bites. Picaridin, another proven repellent, works similarly to DEET. Wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothing that covers skin limits exposure. Avoiding dusk and dawn hours, when mosquitoes feed most actively, helps. Eliminating standing water around your home reduces mosquito breeding grounds.
If you're naturally prone to bites, combining