Beer and mosquitoes go together on lazy summer days even more than I ever knew! Evidently, cracking open a cool one is their calling card.
If you’ve ever cracked open a cold beer at a barbecue only to find yourself swatting away mosquitoes while your friends remain untouched, you’re not imagining things. Research suggests that drinking beer can indeed make you more attractive to mosquitoes. But why does this happen? There is science behind this phenomenon.
The study that started it all
A key study in 2010 investigated the link between beer consumption and mosquito attraction. Researchers found that people who drank just one 12-ounce bottle of beer were significantly more attractive to mosquitoes than those who didn’t. What’s even more interesting is that this increased attraction wasn’t linked to body temperature or carbon dioxide output—two major factors previously believed to draw mosquitoes in.
Things that make you a mosquito magnet
While the exact mechanism isn’t fully understood, there are a few compelling theories:
• Metabolic changes: Alcohol affects your metabolism, which in turn may alter the chemicals you emit through your skin and breath. These changes can make your natural scent more appealing to mosquitoes.
• Increased ethanol emission: When you drink alcohol, some of it is metabolized and expelled through your breath and pores. Ethanol, the active ingredient in alcohol, may act as an attractant to certain mosquito species.
• Higher body heat and sweating: Although the 2010 study didn’t find a direct correlation with body temperature, alcohol can cause temporary vasodilation—widening of the blood vessels—which may make you feel warmer and sweat more. Mosquitoes are highly sensitive to heat and the scent of sweat.
• Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) emissions: While not directly observed in the beer study, drinking alcohol can lead to deeper, more rapid breathing. This could increase CO₂ output, one of the primary signals mosquitoes use to locate their hosts.
Are all beers equal?
There’s limited research comparing different types of alcohol and their effects on mosquito attraction, but the 2010 study focused solely on beer. Whether wine, spirits, or cocktails have the same effect is unclear, but if alcohol in general causes similar metabolic changes, it’s possible.
How to protect yourself
If you don’t want to give up your beer on a summer evening but also want to avoid becoming a mosquito buffet, here are a few tips:
• Wear repellent: Products with DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus can be effective.
• Use citronella or mosquito-repelling candles: They may not stop all bites, but they can help reduce the number.
• Avoid peak mosquito hours: Dusk and dawn are prime time for many mosquito species.
• Stay covered: Long sleeves and pants create a physical barrier between you and hungry bugs.
The bottom line
Drinking beer does seem to increase your chances of being bitten by mosquitoes, though the exact reasons are still being studied. So next time you’re outside enjoying a brew, consider taking a few extra precautions—your skin will thank you later.
Want to keep the beer but ditch the bugs? A little awareness and prevention can go a long way.
Here is a link to another article about beer drinking and mosquitoes.
RELATED
- New study proves wearing these colors attracts mosquitoes
- Natural pest control: How to make flea, tick, and mosquito repellent
- 8 tips to ward off mosquitoes inside and outside of the RV
##RVT1204
Sorry to be critical, but this whole article is full of “may”, “might”, “we don’t know, but…” Are there quantitative facts that you can share?
Check out the study itself. You may find that it is just as vague. However, that’s all they wrote. 😊
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20209056/
Here’s the study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12083361/
Beer drinkers also attract people who think they are all heathens yet love their wine. Hypocrisy at it’s worst.
I can’t drink alcohol any more, so when I want a beer I crack open a Guiness non-alc. Guessing I’m probably safe…
Back in the day it was beer with a Cutty Sark chaser – totally confused those little suckers.
You can do this at your campsite, assuming you’ll be there a few days: “Ironically, targeting adult mosquitos is the worst and by far the most expensive approach to mosquito control, because mosquitos are best controlled in the larval stage. Put a five-gallon bucket of water in a sunny place in your yard and add a handful of hay or straw. After a few days, the resulting brew is irresistible to gravid (egg-filled) female mosquitos. After the mosquitos have laid their eggs, add a commercially available mosquito dunk tablet that contains Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a natural larvicide, to your bucket. The eggs will hatch and the larvae will die.”
Thank you for the interesting story, Nanci! I guess another way to “combat” mosquitos is to drink beer inside rather than outside. DW tends to drink wine outside in the evening when we travel in the RV. I will ask her if she finds them bothersome. Meanwhile, I’ll stick to my diet soft drinks, augmented once in a while by a full-bodied Mountain Dew. Have a great weekend and safe travels!