Why Do Mosquito Repellents Repel Mosquitos

[sandyRoe]

?

[Mamyalynne]

In many cases it's unexplained but in its simplest terms it's usually something in the smeall or taste that they dislike.

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/04/25/716767256/how-do-mosquitoes-taste-deet-hint-its-not-their-mouthparts

[Mamyalynne]

* smell

[emmie]

i only know that the little b******ds, like my blood, having been bitten multiple times when in Greece.

[jno]

ooh, I'd like to go to Greece with you, emmie, I can always do with a decoy.

[Hopkirk]

Probably the same way as me eating food with garlic in repels 'er indoors.

[Peter Pedant]

they all have basically DEET
di-ethyl-toluamide - whack two benzenes together and twiddle a bit
and this is said to block the mozzies' sense of smell

I thought it made them go "ugh next please!"

dont mozzies have fruddly bits over their eyes ( really cute on cartoon crickets ) and this is what they sense or fail to sense with ? - I also thought they had infra red sensors somewhere good for identifying the tasty veins

[jourdain2]

Don't know. What I do know is that they didn't bother me until I hit the menopause.

[LadyCG]

Mozzies seem to love me and I happen to be allergic to DEET.

I remember the first time I tested Jungle Formula on my arm and within 10 seconds I broke out in giant hives.