Latest news with #predator
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Yahoo
He came across a missing girl and hatched a nasty plan
A predatory sex offender abused a missing 15-year-old girl after encountering her alone at night. Brandon Ormond convinced his victim that he was a "good person" after approaching her in the street and handing her religious literature. But he then whisked the vulnerable teen away to a secluded area near to a beach, where he subjected her to a series of vile sexual acts. Having then abandoned her once more in the early hours, she was ultimately discovered by police in distress near to a Morrisons supermarket. Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, that the teenager went missing from home before travelling to New Brighton, Wirral, by bus, arriving in the area at around 10.30pm. She was then located by police at around 6am the following day, at which stage she "became visibly upset" and disclosed to officers that she had been subjected to a sexual assault. READ MORE: What I saw Man United supporters do in New York spoke volumes - I bet it wasn't the case for Everton READ MORE: Hillsborough families urge Keir Starmer not to hire former S*n editor Frances Wilmott, prosecuting, described how the girl went on detail how Ormond, of Ripon Road in Wallasey, had approached her and began talking to her. Despite having been "initially wary" of him, the 29-year-old went on to "tell her that he was a Christian and gave her a religious leaflet", which "made her think he was a good person". The two thereafter sat on a bench, where the defendant asked if he could put his arm around her while "saying it was cold". Ormond subsequently suggested that they move to an underpass near to the beach as it "would be warmer", then began kissing the schoolgirl in this location in spite of being told of her young age. Having subsequently "asked if she wanted to have sex", he pulled down his trousers and performed a sexual act upon her and "told her he thought she was fit" before being disturbed by a barking dog. Ormond then left the girl and returned home at around 3.30am, leaving her to walk to the nearby Morrisons store alone before being found by police at daybreak. Having been identified and arrested, he told detectives that he believed the complainant was homeless and aged 18. When his phone was analysed, it was found to contain a number of pictures of "partially dressed young girls in sexualised poses". These photographs did not result in criminal charges however, as they were not deemed to be indecent images by law. Martine Snowdon, defending, told the court: "There are references from a number of people who speak well of him. He has read to me a short letter which he wanted to write to your honour, reinforcing his remorse and recognising the impact. "He had difficult circumstances in his upbringing. A single mother brought him up. He had a relationship with his father, although he died a few years ago. He fell out of education. He is motivated to work in a positive way and hopes to be a better person. He has got support with that and a willingness to do that." Ormond admitted two counts of sexual activity with a child and causing a child to engage in sexual activity. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool wearing a navy blue Regatta fleece and with a crucifix on show around his neck, he was jailed for 38 months. Sentencing, Judge David Swinnerton said: "You were 29 when you sexually abused [victim's name], who was 15 years of age, although that was not the sum total of her vulnerabilities. You have no previous convictions, and that is something that I will take into account in your favour. "She ran away from home. She travelled to New Brighton, where, in what must have been the early hours of the morning, you came across her alone. I do not know how much time you spent with her, but you left her alone at 3.30 in the morning. "It must have been obvious to you quite quickly that she was young, and she told you that she was 15. It must have been obvious to you that she was vulnerable from the fact that it was cold. "She was somebody who needed your help. It should have been obvious to you that she had other difficulties. Yet, despite that, rather than taking her to a police station or calling the police, you invited her to come down an underpass onto the beach, where you sat with her. "From that moment, you were preying on her vulnerability. You need to be aware of the impact that you have had. Her life, her self esteem, her self confidence, her ability to cope with the world and others, all of this has been compromised by what you did to her. "You were under the influence of alcohol. You have sought help while in custody. I think you say that you had something like six cans before you committed these offences. I take into account that you show some remorse. "You yourself come from a background which was, in some ways, difficult. I am satisfied that you do show an interest sexually in young girls." Ormond was also handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. He will be required to sign the sex offenders' register for life.
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mosquitoes bite! 5 tips for making yourself less attractive to them
EDITOR'S NOTE: The podcast Chasing Life With Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the medical science behind some of life's mysteries big and small. You can listen to episodes here. (CNN) — For summertime beachgoers, the threat of sharks may loom large, but nature's deadliest predator is actually much smaller. The tiny mosquito is not only a warm-weather nuisance but also wears the crown for 'No. 1 killer of humanity across our existence,' according to historian Dr. Timothy C. Winegard. The predatory insect takes more than 1 million lives each year by transmitting lethal diseases. Sharks, meanwhile, are estimated to have a kill streak orders of magnitude smaller, at fewer than 10 people per year. Where humans go, mosquitoes have followed. Their itchy bites and the disease-causing pathogens they carry are infamous, and the insects are also responsible for driving many of humanity's most essential turning points throughout history, said Winegard, author of 'The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator.' 'Malaria and yellow fever (have shaped) our historical journey from our hominid ancestral evolution … right to present day,' Winegard told CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta recently on his podcast, Chasing Life. Winegard, an associate professor of history at Colorado Mesa University, got the initial idea for his best-selling book from his dad's interest in malaria. The wee pest didn't intrigue Winegard too much at first. 'I kind of disparaged him and said, 'Sure, dad, I'll write a book on mosquitoes,'' he recalled. But once Winegard began going down the rabbit hole of mosquito-borne pathogens' impact on humanity — including, but not limited to malaria, Zika virus, dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya and West Nile virus — he couldn't stop. The mosquito's impact on history is still deeply felt in the present. More than half a million people die of malaria alone each year, and disease-heavy regions have suffered financially as a result. 'Northern Hemisphere countries don't have endemic malaria, (so) they're able to develop more affluent economies because they're not continuously suffering from malaria,' Winegard said. You can listen to the full episode here. Humans have been battling mosquitoes for millennia, and amid the season's summer peak in the Northern Hemisphere, Winegard offered some insight into how you can keep them away this summer. 'Eighty-five percent of what makes you alluring or less alluring to mosquitoes is prewired in your genetic circuit board,' according to Winegard. However, there are a few ways you can manage mosquitoes. He has these five tips. Steer clear of the booze Booze makes it easier for mosquitoes to see you, Winegard said. Mosquitoes hunt by sight, but they don't see the world like people do. The predatory insects employ thermal, or infrared, vision. 'They see heat signatures,' Winegard noted. 'Consuming alcohol raises your body temperature,' he explained over email, 'which make(s) you an identifiable heat signature for your soon-to-be tormentor.' So, maybe reach for a refreshing glass of water or lemonade instead of that beer. Play it cool In addition to using heat-based vision, mosquitoes hunt down humans primarily through smell. Winegard said mosquitoes 'can smell carbon dioxide from over 200 feet (60 meters) away.' 'So if you're exercising or breathing heavily, they'll smell that and be attracted to it,' Winegard told Gupta. And just like alcohol, high CO2 emissions make detecting heat signatures easier for mosquitoes, so Winegard recommends keeping yourself as cool as possible. This applies to your wardrobe, too. 'Dark clothes retain relatively more heat,' he said, so it's best to opt for lighter-colored, long-sleeved attire to keep mosquitoes at bay. Build a strong suit of armor Applying insect repellent is the gold standard for mosquito management, but if you're not careful when applying it, you can leave yourself vulnerable to bites. 'I know people who lather themselves in it, but they miss this little spot on the back of their calf and she'll find the chink in our armor,' Winegard told Gupta, referring to the female mosquito, who is the bloodsucking hunter. Mosquito repellent isn't like perfume, in which a few spritzes can cover your whole body. If you're spraying, make sure to be thorough. 'DEET (a chemical repellent) is still the gold standard, while oil of lemon eucalyptus is a plant-derived option,' Winegard said. For an added boost of security, he noted some clothes come pretreated with a mosquito-targeted insecticide called permethrin. Watch the water! Pool days and cool drinks outdoors offer a respite from the heat for humans, but they are equally as attractive to mosquitoes. Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water — and they don't need much. 'From a pond or stream to a minuscule collection in the bottom of an old container, used tire, or backyard toy — even a bottle cap full — any will suffice,' Winegard said via email. Even waterlogged soil is enough for mom-to-be mosquitoes to lay their eggs in, he added. Winegard recommended eliminating standing water around your home and yard to keep potential mosquito breeding grounds to a minimum. Bring on the bacteria (but consider a foot bath) Another way to fight the swarms this summer is to consider skipping a shower or two. 'It's better to be stinky!' Winegard said. 'Being pungently rancid is a good thing, for it increases bacterial levels on the skin, which makes you less alluring to mosquitoes.' While this may offend others, Winegard says to skip the scented products: Deodorants, soaps and other applied fragrances are all enticing to mosquitoes. The one exception is your feet. 'Clean your feet,' he told Gupta. 'The bacteria on our feet, which is the same one that ripens a lot of cheeses, is an aphrodisiac to mosquitoes.' Winegard noted that this is the reason many of us get bitten around our ankles and feet. 'So, wash your feet!' he urged. Check your blood type Mosquitoes don't care about most personal characteristics you can objectively see. 'There is absolutely no truth to the persistent myths that mosquitoes fancy females over males, that they prefer blondes and redheads over those with darker hair, or that the darker or more leathery your skin, the safer you are from her bite,' Winegard said. But he noted that 'she does play favorites and feasts on some more than others.' What might entice a mosquito? 'Blood type O seems to be the vintage of choice over types A and B or their blend,' he said. 'People with blood type O get bitten twice as often as those with type A, with type B falling somewhere in between.' The creators of the 1998 movie 'A Bug's Life,' he noted, must have 'done their homework when portraying a tipsy mosquito ordering a 'Bloody Mary, O-positive.'' Maybe it's a mosquito's world, Winegard suggests, and people are just living in it. We hope these five tips help you keep mosquitoes at bay. Listen to the full episode here. And join us next week for a new episode of the Chasing Life podcast. 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Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mosquitoes bite! 5 tips for making yourself less attractive to them
EDITOR'S NOTE: The podcast Chasing Life With Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the medical science behind some of life's mysteries big and small. You can listen to episodes here. (CNN) — For summertime beachgoers, the threat of sharks may loom large, but nature's deadliest predator is actually much smaller. The tiny mosquito is not only a warm-weather nuisance but also wears the crown for 'No. 1 killer of humanity across our existence,' according to historian Dr. Timothy C. Winegard. The predatory insect takes more than 1 million lives each year by transmitting lethal diseases. Sharks, meanwhile, are estimated to have a kill streak orders of magnitude smaller, at fewer than 10 people per year. Where humans go, mosquitoes have followed. Their itchy bites and the disease-causing pathogens they carry are infamous, and the insects are also responsible for driving many of humanity's most essential turning points throughout history, said Winegard, author of 'The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator.' 'Malaria and yellow fever (have shaped) our historical journey from our hominid ancestral evolution … right to present day,' Winegard told CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta recently on his podcast, Chasing Life. Winegard, an associate professor of history at Colorado Mesa University, got the initial idea for his best-selling book from his dad's interest in malaria. The wee pest didn't intrigue Winegard too much at first. 'I kind of disparaged him and said, 'Sure, dad, I'll write a book on mosquitoes,'' he recalled. But once Winegard began going down the rabbit hole of mosquito-borne pathogens' impact on humanity — including, but not limited to malaria, Zika virus, dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya and West Nile virus — he couldn't stop. The mosquito's impact on history is still deeply felt in the present. More than half a million people die of malaria alone each year, and disease-heavy regions have suffered financially as a result. 'Northern Hemisphere countries don't have endemic malaria, (so) they're able to develop more affluent economies because they're not continuously suffering from malaria,' Winegard said. You can listen to the full episode here. Humans have been battling mosquitoes for millennia, and amid the season's summer peak in the Northern Hemisphere, Winegard offered some insight into how you can keep them away this summer. 'Eighty-five percent of what makes you alluring or less alluring to mosquitoes is prewired in your genetic circuit board,' according to Winegard. However, there are a few ways you can manage mosquitoes. He has these five tips. Steer clear of the booze Booze makes it easier for mosquitoes to see you, Winegard said. Mosquitoes hunt by sight, but they don't see the world like people do. The predatory insects employ thermal, or infrared, vision. 'They see heat signatures,' Winegard noted. 'Consuming alcohol raises your body temperature,' he explained over email, 'which make(s) you an identifiable heat signature for your soon-to-be tormentor.' So, maybe reach for a refreshing glass of water or lemonade instead of that beer. Play it cool In addition to using heat-based vision, mosquitoes hunt down humans primarily through smell. Winegard said mosquitoes 'can smell carbon dioxide from over 200 feet (60 meters) away.' 'So if you're exercising or breathing heavily, they'll smell that and be attracted to it,' Winegard told Gupta. And just like alcohol, high CO2 emissions make detecting heat signatures easier for mosquitoes, so Winegard recommends keeping yourself as cool as possible. This applies to your wardrobe, too. 'Dark clothes retain relatively more heat,' he said, so it's best to opt for lighter-colored, long-sleeved attire to keep mosquitoes at bay. Build a strong suit of armor Applying insect repellent is the gold standard for mosquito management, but if you're not careful when applying it, you can leave yourself vulnerable to bites. 'I know people who lather themselves in it, but they miss this little spot on the back of their calf and she'll find the chink in our armor,' Winegard told Gupta, referring to the female mosquito, who is the bloodsucking hunter. Mosquito repellent isn't like perfume, in which a few spritzes can cover your whole body. If you're spraying, make sure to be thorough. 'DEET (a chemical repellent) is still the gold standard, while oil of lemon eucalyptus is a plant-derived option,' Winegard said. For an added boost of security, he noted some clothes come pretreated with a mosquito-targeted insecticide called permethrin. Watch the water! Pool days and cool drinks outdoors offer a respite from the heat for humans, but they are equally as attractive to mosquitoes. Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water — and they don't need much. 'From a pond or stream to a minuscule collection in the bottom of an old container, used tire, or backyard toy — even a bottle cap full — any will suffice,' Winegard said via email. Even waterlogged soil is enough for mom-to-be mosquitoes to lay their eggs in, he added. Winegard recommended eliminating standing water around your home and yard to keep potential mosquito breeding grounds to a minimum. Bring on the bacteria (but consider a foot bath) Another way to fight the swarms this summer is to consider skipping a shower or two. 'It's better to be stinky!' Winegard said. 'Being pungently rancid is a good thing, for it increases bacterial levels on the skin, which makes you less alluring to mosquitoes.' While this may offend others, Winegard says to skip the scented products: Deodorants, soaps and other applied fragrances are all enticing to mosquitoes. The one exception is your feet. 'Clean your feet,' he told Gupta. 'The bacteria on our feet, which is the same one that ripens a lot of cheeses, is an aphrodisiac to mosquitoes.' Winegard noted that this is the reason many of us get bitten around our ankles and feet. 'So, wash your feet!' he urged. Check your blood type Mosquitoes don't care about most personal characteristics you can objectively see. 'There is absolutely no truth to the persistent myths that mosquitoes fancy females over males, that they prefer blondes and redheads over those with darker hair, or that the darker or more leathery your skin, the safer you are from her bite,' Winegard said. But he noted that 'she does play favorites and feasts on some more than others.' What might entice a mosquito? 'Blood type O seems to be the vintage of choice over types A and B or their blend,' he said. 'People with blood type O get bitten twice as often as those with type A, with type B falling somewhere in between.' The creators of the 1998 movie 'A Bug's Life,' he noted, must have 'done their homework when portraying a tipsy mosquito ordering a 'Bloody Mary, O-positive.'' Maybe it's a mosquito's world, Winegard suggests, and people are just living in it. We hope these five tips help you keep mosquitoes at bay. Listen to the full episode here. And join us next week for a new episode of the Chasing Life podcast.
CNN
30-07-2025
- Health
- CNN
Mosquitoes bite! 5 tips for making yourself less attractive to them
Animal storiesFacebookTweetLink Follow EDITOR'S NOTE: The podcast Chasing Life With Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the medical science behind some of life's mysteries big and small. You can listen to episodes here. (CNN) — For summertime beachgoers, the threat of sharks may loom large, but nature's deadliest predator is actually much smaller. The tiny mosquito is not only a warm-weather nuisance but also wears the crown for 'No. 1 killer of humanity across our existence,' according to historian Dr. Timothy C. Winegard. The predatory insect takes more than 1 million lives each year by transmitting lethal diseases. Sharks, meanwhile, are estimated to have a kill streak orders of magnitude smaller, at fewer than 10 people per year. Where humans go, mosquitoes have followed. Their itchy bites and the disease-causing pathogens they carry are infamous, and the insects are also responsible for driving many of humanity's most essential turning points throughout history, said Winegard, author of 'The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator.' 'Malaria and yellow fever (have shaped) our historical journey from our hominid ancestral evolution … right to present day,' Winegard told CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta recently on his podcast, Chasing Life. Winegard, an associate professor of history at Colorado Mesa University, got the initial idea for his best-selling book from his dad's interest in malaria. The wee pest didn't intrigue Winegard too much at first. 'I kind of disparaged him and said, 'Sure, dad, I'll write a book on mosquitoes,'' he recalled. But once Winegard began going down the rabbit hole of mosquito-borne pathogens' impact on humanity — including, but not limited to malaria, Zika virus, dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya and West Nile virus — he couldn't stop. The mosquito's impact on history is still deeply felt in the present. More than half a million people die of malaria alone each year, and disease-heavy regions have suffered financially as a result. 'Northern Hemisphere countries don't have endemic malaria, (so) they're able to develop more affluent economies because they're not continuously suffering from malaria,' Winegard said. You can listen to the full episode here. Humans have been battling mosquitoes for millennia, and amid the season's summer peak in the Northern Hemisphere, Winegard offered some insight into how you can keep them away this summer. 'Eighty-five percent of what makes you alluring or less alluring to mosquitoes is prewired in your genetic circuit board,' according to Winegard. However, there are a few ways you can manage mosquitoes. He has these five tips. Booze makes it easier for mosquitoes to see you, Winegard said. Mosquitoes hunt by sight, but they don't see the world like people do. The predatory insects employ thermal, or infrared, vision. 'They see heat signatures,' Winegard noted. 'Consuming alcohol raises your body temperature,' he explained over email, 'which make(s) you an identifiable heat signature for your soon-to-be tormentor.' So, maybe reach for a refreshing glass of water or lemonade instead of that beer. In addition to using heat-based vision, mosquitoes hunt down humans primarily through smell. Winegard said mosquitoes 'can smell carbon dioxide from over 200 feet (60 meters) away.' 'So if you're exercising or breathing heavily, they'll smell that and be attracted to it,' Winegard told Gupta. And just like alcohol, high CO2 emissions make detecting heat signatures easier for mosquitoes, so Winegard recommends keeping yourself as cool as possible. This applies to your wardrobe, too. 'Dark clothes retain relatively more heat,' he said, so it's best to opt for lighter-colored, long-sleeved attire to keep mosquitoes at bay. Applying insect repellent is the gold standard for mosquito management, but if you're not careful when applying it, you can leave yourself vulnerable to bites. 'I know people who lather themselves in it, but they miss this little spot on the back of their calf and she'll find the chink in our armor,' Winegard told Gupta, referring to the female mosquito, who is the bloodsucking hunter. Mosquito repellent isn't like perfume, in which a few spritzes can cover your whole body. If you're spraying, make sure to be thorough. 'DEET (a chemical repellent) is still the gold standard, while oil of lemon eucalyptus is a plant-derived option,' Winegard said. For an added boost of security, he noted some clothes come pretreated with a mosquito-targeted insecticide called permethrin. Pool days and cool drinks outdoors offer a respite from the heat for humans, but they are equally as attractive to mosquitoes. Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water — and they don't need much. 'From a pond or stream to a minuscule collection in the bottom of an old container, used tire, or backyard toy — even a bottle cap full — any will suffice,' Winegard said via email. Even waterlogged soil is enough for mom-to-be mosquitoes to lay their eggs in, he added. Winegard recommended eliminating standing water around your home and yard to keep potential mosquito breeding grounds to a minimum. Another way to fight the swarms this summer is to consider skipping a shower or two. 'It's better to be stinky!' Winegard said. 'Being pungently rancid is a good thing, for it increases bacterial levels on the skin, which makes you less alluring to mosquitoes.' While this may offend others, Winegard says to skip the scented products: Deodorants, soaps and other applied fragrances are all enticing to mosquitoes. The one exception is your feet. 'Clean your feet,' he told Gupta. 'The bacteria on our feet, which is the same one that ripens a lot of cheeses, is an aphrodisiac to mosquitoes.' Winegard noted that this is the reason many of us get bitten around our ankles and feet. 'So, wash your feet!' he urged. Mosquitoes don't care about most personal characteristics you can objectively see. 'There is absolutely no truth to the persistent myths that mosquitoes fancy females over males, that they prefer blondes and redheads over those with darker hair, or that the darker or more leathery your skin, the safer you are from her bite,' Winegard said. But he noted that 'she does play favorites and feasts on some more than others.' What might entice a mosquito? 'Blood type O seems to be the vintage of choice over types A and B or their blend,' he said. 'People with blood type O get bitten twice as often as those with type A, with type B falling somewhere in between.' The creators of the 1998 movie 'A Bug's Life,' he noted, must have 'done their homework when portraying a tipsy mosquito ordering a 'Bloody Mary, O-positive.'' Maybe it's a mosquito's world, Winegard suggests, and people are just living in it. We hope these five tips help you keep mosquitoes at bay. Listen to the full episode here. And join us next week for a new episode of the Chasing Life podcast.
CNN
30-07-2025
- Health
- CNN
Mosquitoes bite! 5 tips for making yourself less attractive to them
EDITOR'S NOTE: The podcast Chasing Life With Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the medical science behind some of life's mysteries big and small. You can listen to episodes here. (CNN) — For summertime beachgoers, the threat of sharks may loom large, but nature's deadliest predator is actually much smaller. The tiny mosquito is not only a warm-weather nuisance but also wears the crown for 'No. 1 killer of humanity across our existence,' according to historian Dr. Timothy C. Winegard. The predatory insect takes more than 1 million lives each year by transmitting lethal diseases. Sharks, meanwhile, are estimated to have a kill streak orders of magnitude smaller, at fewer than 10 people per year. Where humans go, mosquitoes have followed. Their itchy bites and the disease-causing pathogens they carry are infamous, and the insects are also responsible for driving many of humanity's most essential turning points throughout history, said Winegard, author of 'The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator.' 'Malaria and yellow fever (have shaped) our historical journey from our hominid ancestral evolution … right to present day,' Winegard told CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta recently on his podcast, Chasing Life. Winegard, an associate professor of history at Colorado Mesa University, got the initial idea for his best-selling book from his dad's interest in malaria. The wee pest didn't intrigue Winegard too much at first. 'I kind of disparaged him and said, 'Sure, dad, I'll write a book on mosquitoes,'' he recalled. But once Winegard began going down the rabbit hole of mosquito-borne pathogens' impact on humanity — including, but not limited to malaria, Zika virus, dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya and West Nile virus — he couldn't stop. The mosquito's impact on history is still deeply felt in the present. More than half a million people die of malaria alone each year, and disease-heavy regions have suffered financially as a result. 'Northern Hemisphere countries don't have endemic malaria, (so) they're able to develop more affluent economies because they're not continuously suffering from malaria,' Winegard said. You can listen to the full episode here. Humans have been battling mosquitoes for millennia, and amid the season's summer peak in the Northern Hemisphere, Winegard offered some insight into how you can keep them away this summer. 'Eighty-five percent of what makes you alluring or less alluring to mosquitoes is prewired in your genetic circuit board,' according to Winegard. However, there are a few ways you can manage mosquitoes. He has these five tips. Booze makes it easier for mosquitoes to see you, Winegard said. Mosquitoes hunt by sight, but they don't see the world like people do. The predatory insects employ thermal, or infrared, vision. 'They see heat signatures,' Winegard noted. 'Consuming alcohol raises your body temperature,' he explained over email, 'which make(s) you an identifiable heat signature for your soon-to-be tormentor.' So, maybe reach for a refreshing glass of water or lemonade instead of that beer. In addition to using heat-based vision, mosquitoes hunt down humans primarily through smell. Winegard said mosquitoes 'can smell carbon dioxide from over 200 feet (60 meters) away.' 'So if you're exercising or breathing heavily, they'll smell that and be attracted to it,' Winegard told Gupta. And just like alcohol, high CO2 emissions make detecting heat signatures easier for mosquitoes, so Winegard recommends keeping yourself as cool as possible. This applies to your wardrobe, too. 'Dark clothes retain relatively more heat,' he said, so it's best to opt for lighter-colored, long-sleeved attire to keep mosquitoes at bay. Applying insect repellent is the gold standard for mosquito management, but if you're not careful when applying it, you can leave yourself vulnerable to bites. 'I know people who lather themselves in it, but they miss this little spot on the back of their calf and she'll find the chink in our armor,' Winegard told Gupta, referring to the female mosquito, who is the bloodsucking hunter. Mosquito repellent isn't like perfume, in which a few spritzes can cover your whole body. If you're spraying, make sure to be thorough. 'DEET (a chemical repellent) is still the gold standard, while oil of lemon eucalyptus is a plant-derived option,' Winegard said. For an added boost of security, he noted some clothes come pretreated with a mosquito-targeted insecticide called permethrin. Pool days and cool drinks outdoors offer a respite from the heat for humans, but they are equally as attractive to mosquitoes. Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water — and they don't need much. 'From a pond or stream to a minuscule collection in the bottom of an old container, used tire, or backyard toy — even a bottle cap full — any will suffice,' Winegard said via email. Even waterlogged soil is enough for mom-to-be mosquitoes to lay their eggs in, he added. Winegard recommended eliminating standing water around your home and yard to keep potential mosquito breeding grounds to a minimum. Another way to fight the swarms this summer is to consider skipping a shower or two. 'It's better to be stinky!' Winegard said. 'Being pungently rancid is a good thing, for it increases bacterial levels on the skin, which makes you less alluring to mosquitoes.' While this may offend others, Winegard says to skip the scented products: Deodorants, soaps and other applied fragrances are all enticing to mosquitoes. The one exception is your feet. 'Clean your feet,' he told Gupta. 'The bacteria on our feet, which is the same one that ripens a lot of cheeses, is an aphrodisiac to mosquitoes.' Winegard noted that this is the reason many of us get bitten around our ankles and feet. 'So, wash your feet!' he urged. Mosquitoes don't care about most personal characteristics you can objectively see. 'There is absolutely no truth to the persistent myths that mosquitoes fancy females over males, that they prefer blondes and redheads over those with darker hair, or that the darker or more leathery your skin, the safer you are from her bite,' Winegard said. But he noted that 'she does play favorites and feasts on some more than others.' What might entice a mosquito? 'Blood type O seems to be the vintage of choice over types A and B or their blend,' he said. 'People with blood type O get bitten twice as often as those with type A, with type B falling somewhere in between.' The creators of the 1998 movie 'A Bug's Life,' he noted, must have 'done their homework when portraying a tipsy mosquito ordering a 'Bloody Mary, O-positive.'' Maybe it's a mosquito's world, Winegard suggests, and people are just living in it. We hope these five tips help you keep mosquitoes at bay. Listen to the full episode here. And join us next week for a new episode of the Chasing Life podcast.
