Here’ the scientific study.
Here’s the key finding:
Water consumption had no effect on human attractiveness to An. gambiae mosquitoes, but beer consumption increased volunteer attractiveness. Body odours of volunteers who consumed beer increased mosquito activation (proportion of mosquitoes engaging in take-off and up-wind flight) and orientation (proportion of mosquitoes flying towards volunteers’ odours). The level of exhaled carbon dioxide and body temperature had no effect on human attractiveness to mosquitoes. Despite individual volunteer variation, beer consumption consistently increased attractiveness to mosquitoes.
No, seriously. Because “these results suggest that beer consumption is a risk factor for malaria and needs to be integrated into public health policies for the design of control measures.”
But moving on to a bit of whimsy. What if mosquitoes have some form of quick communication, à la Twitter? You think one might buzz his or her fellow biting buddies that “the one is the red shirt is balanced toward malt” or the “arms of the one nearest the beer cooler taste of citrus and pine”?
And, from a public health standpoint, wouldn’t it be good to know of mosquitoes prefer hoppy beer drinkers, extreme beer drinkers . . .
That’s just plain gnats.
I bet mosquitoes prefer craft beer drinkers. I need to get funding to do a study.
There is a compound in hops,,the sedative compound,,that is part of the communication molecules of bees, hornets, wasps, etc. I learned this from Dr. John Henning at Oregon State University as he studied bees,,and became a major hop researcher. I grew a few H. L. var. neomexicanus hops a few years ago that were covered with all of them,,,hanging onto the plants,,ready to sting. The next morning, all were dead under the plants,,,and just those few plants. These stinging insects had hung on all night long,,ready to sting,,but didn’t get the rest of the message or something. I guess they died from simple dehydration?
I wonder if anyone will study the consumption of certain alcoholic beverages could inhibit the malaria mosquitoes. I’m thinking Becherovka, Pernod, Pastis, Absinthe, Chartreuse, Fernet and other herbal beverages might have quite the desirable effect of repelling malaria mosquitoes. Any thoughts?