Why Mosquitoes Are Always Buzzing Around Our Ears and Simple Ways

Nothing says summer like an outdoor barbecue, especially after the dreary winter months. But the enemy of summer gatherings is still there: the buzz of mosquitoes in our ears.

So, why do these blood-sucking insects hover around your ears? And why do they make that annoying buzzing sound?

' The buzzing in your ear is mostly just a side effect of the mosquito's wings flapping ,' says Michael Riehle, an entomology professor at the University of Arizona. ' [The sound] doesn't have a long range, so you notice it most when they're flying around your ear .'

Mosquitoes love. earwax.

A 2016 study by the University of California, Riverside found that mosquitoes are attracted to the smelliest areas of the body. But when we sleep, most of our body parts are covered with blankets or clothes, leaving only our faces exposed. The ears are the smelliest exposed areas, so mosquitoes hover around them, waiting for a chance to attack.

Where is the buzzing coming from?

That buzzing noise you hear is probably a female mosquito. That's because male and female mosquitoes lead very different lives. Male mosquitoes usually congregate and sip nectar; they don't care about humans scurrying around. Female mosquitoes, however, need to find a blood meal after mating to have enough energy to produce eggs. In fact, female mosquitoes are equipped with unique tools to find their next victim.

Body temperature plays an important role

Female mosquitoes suck blood to get enough nutrients to lay eggs. Mosquitoes search for prey by heat and sweat. When we sleep, the CO2 we exhale attracts mosquitoes, so they fly towards our faces and create the annoying sound you hear every night.

So what to do to avoid the buzzing sound of mosquitoes?

Perhaps the simplest way to avoid the buzzing of mosquitoes every night is to hang a mosquito net. In addition, you can turn on a fan or place some herbs in the room that repel mosquitoes such as lavender.