Mosquitos Are Now in Minnesota! Avoid Wearing These 4 Colors
I heard the other day that mosquitos were spotted in Minnesota already and...well...I didn't believe it. And then I saw one in my house. #NotJoking
READ MORE: Experts Found First Mosquito Larva of the Season
Before I spotted the mosquito flying through the air in my living room, I was in denial that this ugly part of our summer was showing up in March. But, since ticks and bears were already roaming around in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, let's just go ahead and throw another creature at us. We are Minnesotans. If we can handle the -40 degree temperatures Mother Nature brings us, we can handle a little bug that wants to suck our blood. However, if you are wanting to avoid those welts, I've got a few tips to help all of us out during mosquito season (aka...now March through October in Minnesota).
READ MORE: See Where Bears Have Already Been Spotted in Minnesota
Avoid These 4 Colors if You Want Mosquitos to Stay Away From You
The days when our perfume is bug spray will return before we want it in Minnesota. For years, I thought that bug spray was the only tool to keep the blood-sucking mosquito off of my body. According to a study by the University of Washington, bug spray isn't the only tool we can use to avoid mosquito bites.
As you pick out your clothes daily, avoid wearing four specific colors. These four colors tend to attract mosquitos more, which as you know, can lead to more mosquito bites on your body.
#1 - Red
#2 - Orange
#3 - Cyan
#4 - Black
Four Colors To Add to Your Wardrobe That Mosquitos Do NOT Love
If you just threw out all of your clothes because the colors you were wearing are a bit popular for mosquitos, try finding clothes with the colors below instead. According to some research at the University of Washington, mosquitos don't love the following colors as much:
#1 - Green
#2 - Purple
#3 - Blue
#4 - White
“One of the most common questions I’m asked is ‘What can I do to stop mosquitoes from biting me?’ “I used to say there are three major cues that attract mosquitoes: your breath, your sweat and the temperature of your skin. In this study, we found a fourth cue: the color red, which can not only be found on your clothes, but is also found in everyone’s skin. The shade of your skin doesn’t matter, we are all giving off a strong red signature. Filtering out those attractive colors in our skin, or wearing clothes that avoid those colors, could be another way to prevent a mosquito biting.” - Professor Jeffrey Riffell, University of Washington
Read more about this study the University of Washington did at outbreaknewstoday.com.
LOOK: Minnesota Ticks and How To Prevent Bites
Gallery Credit: Jessica Williams