Dutch researchers transformed a music festival into a laboratory to study mosquito attraction patterns. Over 500 volunteers at the Lowlands festival in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands participated in the “Mosquito Magnet Trial” over three days. Scientists from Radboud University Medical Center used shipping container labs where participants placed arms against boxes containing caged mosquitoes. Lead researcher Felix Hol found beer drinkers were 44% more attractive to mosquitoes than non-drinkers, while cannabis users also showed significantly higher attraction scores. People who slept near others the previous night attracted more mosquitoes. However, sunscreen users were half as attractive to the insects compared to those without protection. Hol’s advice to avoid mosquitos: “don’t drink beer, don’t smoke weed, don’t sleep with people and put on your sunscreen.” (Story URL)
