the 100 answers to reduce buzzing and stings- Corriere.it

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Raise your hand if you don’t hate them. But we must resign ourselves: with the warm destiny that the mosquitoes return to keep us company. So better equip yourself to get to know them better and defend yourself effectively. For this Thursday 20 May the readers of Corriere della Sera they will find a free booklet on newsstands with everything you ever wanted to know about these annoying insects. One hundred questions, to which two of the leading Italian experts on the subject replied: Marco Di Luca (of the Vector-borne Diseases Department of the Infectious Diseases Department of the Istituto Superiore di Sanit) e Fabrizio Montarsi (of the Parasitology Laboratory of the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of the Venezie).

A reading that can clarify some of the doubts more recurrent in this regard, provide practical indications for managing the problem and deny (or confirm) the most common myths about Culex pipiens (the common mosquito), Aedes albopictus (the tiger) and more. For example: do mosquitoes bite at all hours or only in the evening? It depends on the mosquito: the common one does it above all at night, while the tiger, which is very aggressive, prefers the daytime hours outdoors, but can also sting indoors and after sunset, with artificial light. And you are not saved even if you live on the upper floorsIt is true that mosquitoes fly low but over time, by laying eggs and colonizing saucers on balconies or stairs, they can even reach the twentieth floor. Having established that we can therefore get an idea of ​​the species we are dealing with also based on the moments of greatest activity of the insects in question, how can we protect ourselves?


49 of the 100 questions aim to clarify this aspect. The others explain, among other things, which are the most effective remedies to reduce the discomfort caused by the sting and to cure the resulting wheal. For example: better to use ammonia or a cortisone cream? Do you need to use antihistamines? What if the wheal becomes infected? Finally: what are the right remedies if it just doesn’t heal. Another age-old question: what attracts mosquitoes the most? It is quite known that we are all better prey after physical activity or if we are sweating profusely. The reason is that with sweat the number of substances we emit increases, and in addition we also have warmer skin. In fact, in proximity to the victim, the choice also depends on the temperature: those with more superficial capillaries or fair skin are warmer and therefore more attractive.

In pregnancy, and if you are overweight or obese, then the risk of stings increases because more carbon dioxide is emitted and the temperature is higher. Drinking alcohol also appears to attract mosquitoes, as more acetone, ethanol and methanol are released through sweat. The favorite target are feet and ankles (we had noticed that right?), thanks to the mix of heat and smell and the fact that mosquitoes tend to fly low. As for the blood group, according to some studies, the tiger mosquito and the yellow fever mosquito prefer group 0, but it counts less than the personal smell or the amount of carbon dioxide emitted. The sweet blood of diabetics, on the other hand, doesn’t like it more: in our blood the mosquito mainly looks for proteins, essential for producing eggs. In the booklet, however, we will not only talk about mosquitoes: 30 questions will be reserved for other bites and stings, such as those of wasps, bees, hornets, bedbugs, fleas, ticks, ants, spiders. For each you will find specific advice.

May 17, 2021 (change May 17, 2021 | 23:03)

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