Mosquitoes Are Attracted to Carbon Dioxide

While body heat, sweat, and certain odors also play a role, CO2 is the main long-range attractant for mosquitoes. They have specialized receptors on their antennae that are highly sensitive to CO2 plumes. This helps them locate warm-blooded hosts even in the dark. Pregnant women and larger individuals often attract more mosquitoes because they tend to exhale more CO2.