Indoor Workouts Raise Mosquito Bites as Exercise Pumps Out More CO2
Updated
Updated · Good Housekeeping · Aug 7
Indoor Workouts Raise Mosquito Bites as Exercise Pumps Out More CO2
1 articles · Updated · Good Housekeeping · Aug 7
Summary
Evening indoor exercise can make people markedly more attractive to mosquitoes, especially when windows or patio doors are left open in summer.
CO2 rises several-fold during workouts, while body heat, sweat, lactic acid and ammonia give mosquitoes stronger signals to locate a host; warm, damp skin can keep drawing them after exercise ends.
Dusk and dawn are the busiest feeding periods for many UK mosquito species, making early-evening sessions riskier than mid-morning or early-afternoon workouts.
Fly screens, fans, post-workout showers, light-coloured clothing and removing standing water such as plant trays or clogged gutters can cut indoor mosquito encounters.
Summer heat is already boosting mosquito numbers by speeding breeding cycles, and even small amounts of stagnant water are enough for egg-laying.