Health Topics – Johns Hopkins Medicine Podcasts
Jun 29, 2026 · 1 min · 3 segments
Mosquitoes looking to feed utilize many qualities of humans to find their prey. Exhaled carbon dioxide, unique human scents and infrared radiation all play a part. But it’s not until the mosquito…
Elizabeth TracyFinally, they touch us.
Neurons on the legs of mosquitoes.
Soon as they touch our skin, they start to taste us.
And that's their last indication.
Oh, this is the human.
This is what I want to bite.
Or no, this is a dog or something.
I mean, I'll keep going.
Cubans are pretty great for biting because you don't have quite as much hair on our skin.
Our hides aren't quite as thick.
Humans tend to be around water.
Mosquitoes need water for their life cycle.
So humans are a great source of a blood meal.
They're plentiful.
Finally, they touch us.
Neurons on the legs of mosquitoes.
Soon as they touch our skin, they start to taste us.
And that's their last indication.
Oh, this is the human.
This is what I want to bite.
Or no, this is a dog or something.
I mean, I'll keep going.
Cubans are pretty great for biting because you don't have quite as much hair on our skin.
Our hides aren't quite as thick.
Humans tend to be around water.
Mosquitoes need water for their life cycle.
So humans are a great source of a blood meal.
They're plentiful.
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