How to Tackle the Mosquito Season

 

“We are primarily detected by carbon dioxide in our exhaled breath, which is a long-range signal that mosquitoes can detect from surprisingly far away.”

 

I started out with writing about mosquitos and their increase during times of heavy rains and floodings, like the ones Canada and the USA are now experiencing. Then the Sun’s current solar cycle came to mind, ending the 11-year solar maximum and entering solar minimum. Agencies like the UN always want to pin the Earth’s disasters to humanities doing, to push their climate warming agenda while using the “don’t look up” propaganda to divert attention with wars they promote, politics they control and fear that keeps people from seeing the truth. The Sun definitely plays a part with the Earth’s climate and solar radiation.

The Met Office[1]—the United Kingdom’s national meteorological service, which is one of the oldest national weather services in the world—reports that the Sun has entered the declining phase of its 11-year solar cycle after reaching solar maximum in 2024–2025. This means that the overall number of sunspots is gradually decreasing but the threat of significant space weather has not ended. Historically we have seen that some of the strongest solar storms can occur after solar maximum and it is likely in the coming months and years that powerful solar flares and coronal mass ejections remain.

With this, weather conditions also change and they play an important role in the abundance of mosquitos. It seems that this summer might be quite challenging for Canadians thanks to wet conditions in June. According to John Soghigian, an assistant professor in the faculty of veterinary medicine at the University of Calgary, “rain definitely leads to more abundance of mosquitoes. Depending on where you are in Canada, you’ll see different results of that rain. Certain places in Canada have more species that rely on sort of a floodwater area than others. However, across the country, in the southern part of Canada, we tend to see a lot of mosquitoes in July and August.”[2]

Health officials usually recommend taking precautions during peak mosquito season in the U.S. and Canada because mosquitoes can transmit diseases such as West Nile virus and the Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), which is much rarer but more severe. Thankfully, these conditions are seldomly seen in the West and most infected people never develop symptoms but some can become ill with fever, headaches, muscle aches. In rare cases—according to CDC “less than 1% of infected patients develop neuroinvasive disease”[3]—brain or spinal cord inflammation develop that requires urgent medical care. Both viruses are spread to humans through mosquitoes that have fed on infected birds or other animals, not from person to person. Mosquito bites usually cause only a small, itchy, red bump due to a reaction to the protein in mosquito saliva, but if the bite becomes increasingly red, swollen, hot, or painful several days later, it could indicate a bacterial skin infection.

I think I do not need to explain the mosquitos’ ability to drive us mad, especially when laying in a bed with the lights out in a relaxed state and in total silence. Then the one sound appears that no one can mistake, the annoying buzzing sound a live mosquito makes. It is caused by its rapid wing beats, which typically range between 300 and 600 Hz for females, and up to 800 to 1,000 Hz for males. This specific pitch triggers immediate human alarm responses because it sits in the frequency range our ears are most sensitive to.

Did you know that only female mosquitos bite and they are usually heavier than the males? The females’ buzz is louder because their wings beat more rapidly to the added weight and it is the loudest just before they bite. Male mosquitos’ hum appears fainter and quitter because they do not get close enough for us to hear them. They only eat nectar, so they do not bite humans or animals. Females also drink nectar for daily energy, but they switch to blood meals specifically for reproduction. Now when you hear a mosquito, and it wants to suck on your blood, remember to smack it before it reproduces again as they can lay between 100 to 400 eggs.

What makes you more attractive to mosquitos?

We are primarily detected by carbon dioxide in our exhaled breath, which is a long-range signal that mosquitoes can detect from surprisingly far away. After that the unique skin scent is the biggest factor in who gets bitten once mosquitoes get close. It is connected to the skin bacteria which play a major role because microbes on our skin break down sweat and oils into odor compounds that can change how attractive we are to mosquitoes. The bad news is that our natural scent is surprisingly stable so if someone is a “mosquito magnet”, it will probably remain fairly consistent over time. After locating a person by smell, mosquitoes also use heat and visual cues to find a place to land.

Alcohol consumption may also affect our attractiveness to mosquitos. While not all types of alcohol have been studied yet, some studies have found that drinking beer can make people more attractive to mosquitoes, most likely because of the changes in body chemistry and sweating.

Pregnancy is another factor that plays a role as pregnant women are especially attractive to mosquitoes. This may be due to hormonal changes and other physiological differences which make pregnancy a well-known risk factor for increased mosquito attraction.

Mosquito repellants containing Deet is not a healthy option, and since Doctor’s Choice does not produce a mosquito repellant let me introduce you to a mosquito repellant that is safe and effective, we used to distribute it many moons ago, All Terrain, natural herbal armor, they have repellants for children and adults and they can be found online, it is the only one my family uses.

Plants and plant-based products that may help repel mosquitos temporarily:

  • Lemon Eucalyptus: The absolute most effective plant-based option. Its refined oil contains PMD, a compound that confuses mosquito receptors.
  • Citronella: Derived from a specific type of lemongrass. While it does repel insects, it evaporates very rapidly.
  • Peppermint & Spearmint: The high concentration of menthol in mint oils is offensive to mosquitoes and masks human odors.
  • Lavender: Contains linalool, a compound that dulls a mosquito’s sense of smell. It is also highly soothing if you already have a bite.
  • Lemongrass & Rosemary: Both contain pungent aromatic oils that temporarily disrupt a mosquito’s tracking abilities.

Doctor’s Choice products for the mosquito season:

 

References:

[1] Met Office. 2026.

[2] Fallico, Adriana. 2026.

[3] CDC. 2025.