Mosquitoes are a constant annoyance for many of proof.’s clients. Whether you are spending the afternoon at the park, hiking, or relaxing in your backyard, avoiding a few itchy bites can feel impossible.
You might think wearing long sleeves and pants will protect you, but what about those frustrating bites you find under your clothing? Can mosquitoes bite through clothes and leave itchy welts even when you are fully covered?
The short answer is yes. In this guide, we will explain how mosquitoes manage to bite through clothing, what types of fabric offer better protection, and how you can keep these pests from ruining your summer plans.
What Attracts Mosquitoes?
Before diving into how mosquitoes bite through clothes, it helps to know why they are targeting you in the first place.
Mosquitoes can pop up anywhere. You may spot them buzzing around your yard or flitting through the trees on a long hike. It’s not summertime until you spot these pests flying as the sun sets!
These pests are attracted to a combination of heat, scent, and carbon dioxide. If you are breathing, sweating, and moving outdoors, mosquitoes are already looking for you.
Here’s what may attract mosquitoes to your yard and make them bite you:
- Standing water
- Dark clothing
- Warm temperatures
- Carbon dioxide
- Body heat
- Certain blood types
Let’s break this down.
If you have standing water on your property, mosquitoes will choose these areas to lay their eggs. These pests typically flock toward fresh water and may lay eggs in lakes, water buckets, or toys full of rain.
Warm temperatures also bring out mosquitoes in droves. As the days heat up, you’ll notice them darting around outdoors. Because mosquitoes head toward carbon dioxide emissions and body heat, they’ll fly straight toward your location.
However, some people may get bitten more than others. According to Smithsonian Magazine, mosquitoes are more likely to bite people with O blood types over those with Type A and B. Other factors like pregnancy, higher cholesterol concentrations on your skin, and skin bacteria may make mosquitoes bite you more!
Wearing dark clothing makes you even more appealing because darker fabrics trap body heat, helping mosquitoes zero in on you faster.
Can Mosquitoes Bite Through Clothes?
So, can mosquitoes bite through clothes even if you think you are protected? Unfortunately, yes.
Mosquitoes may bite through clothes when the fabric is thin enough for their needle-like mouthparts to pierce. Their proboscis, a specialized feeding appendage, easily slides through certain materials to reach your skin.
Tight, thin clothing like leggings, spandex, or polyester shirts does not offer much protection. Even lightweight cotton can sometimes be thin enough for mosquitoes to break through.
If you are wondering if mosquitoes can bite through jeans, the answer is that they usually cannot. Heavy fabrics like denim, canvas, and leather create a tougher barrier that most mosquitoes cannot easily penetrate.
What Should You Wear to Avoid Mosquito Bites?
Mosquitoes suck your blood through an appendage called a proboscis. Comprised of six sharp needles, it can swiftly pierce your skin and allow the insect to saw through layers of your skin for blood.
Their small size typically prevents you from feeling a bite, so mosquitoes can swiftly find a blood vessel without you noticing, effortlessly puncturing thin fabrics.
If you’re wearing leather or denim, the mosquitoes will have a harder time breaking through the tough fabrics to reach your skin. When you plan to visit areas rife with mosquitoes, here’s what to avoid:
- Tight jeans, pants, shirts, or leggings
- Dark-colored clothing
- Loose necklines
- Open back garments
- Exposed ankles
Always wear protective clothing when you’re around mosquitoes or other outdoor pests. The right clothes will protect you from annoying bites and prevent you from acquiring a mosquito-transmitted disease.
Mosquito bites aren’t typically dangerous on their own unless you’re allergic to mosquitoes. If you scratch or pick at the bites, they could become infected, leading to potential complications without medical attention.
However, mosquitoes can transmit debilitating diseases with their bites. You could become very ill if a mosquito carrying the West Nile virus, Zika, or malaria bites you. The CDC reports that 1 in every 150 cases of West Nile Virus progresses into a debilitating condition, occasionally leading to death.
While mosquitoes are dangerous insects, you can reduce your chances of getting bitten by using bug spray or contacting a pest control agency to come and remove the mosquitoes on your property.
Let proof. Handle Mosquitoes!
We know how much mosquitoes suck–literally. Instead of sharing your backyard with these blood-sucking pests, let proof. Pest Control eliminate them for you!
With our residential mosquito pest control service, we will apply a larvicide to breeding grounds and spray a fogging treatment throughout your yard. This will remove adult mosquitoes and prevent their young from reproducing.
When in doubt, rely on proof. to deliver a quality service that works. Our technicians are proud to serve your pest control needs! Contact us today to schedule a mosquito treatment or learn more about our services!