---
title: Each Mosquito Species Bites a Different Set of People
description: A Florida International University study put 119 volunteers against three mosquito species and found no universal mosquito magnet. Skin chemistry decides.
author: Darie Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2026-08-08T17:00:00.000Z
updated: 2026-08-08T18:23:21.588Z
canonical: https://richhealthmagazine.com/article/mosquito-species-prefer-different-people-fiu
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/mosquito-under-microscope-fiu-lab-119758.webp
categories: Everyday Wellness
content_type: News
region: Global
publication: Rich Health Magazine
access: members
schema_type: Article
---

If mosquitoes find you at a barbecue while the person next to you is untouched, that may say less about you than about which species is in the garden. Researchers at Florida International University tested 119 volunteers against three mosquito species and found that not one person was attractive to all three. Each species had its own preferences, driven largely by the chemistry of a person's skin. The results are published in the journal iScience.

## The Two Daytime Biters Read Opposite Signals

Aedes aegypti, which spreads yellow fever, dengue and Zika, went for people wearing no added scent and whose skin lacked certain volatile compounds. For that species the draw was less what someone gave off than what they did not, and it showed a slight preference for men over women. The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, feeds during the day too but was pulled the other way, toward skin secreting higher levels of ketones and plant-like volatile compounds. It also [spreads West Nile, dengue and dog heartworm](https://news.fiu.edu/2026/youre-not-every-mosquitos-type).

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