Just been googling and came across this....
"Chemical repellents like OFF! repel mosquitoes, but not because mosquitoes don’t like the smell of these repellents. Rather, it’s because the chemical DEET is very effective at masking the smell of carbon dioxide and lactic acid. When you’re wearing DEET, the mosquitoes can’t smell you and so they leave you alone. Natural repellents like geranium oil or citronella work the same way, they just don’t seem to be quite as effective as DEET.
Why Do Mosquitoes Like Certain People?
You’ve probably noticed that mosquitoes seem to be more attracted to some people than others. That is also because of smell—and not because mosquitoes prefer certain blood-types, as people sometimes say.
Each of us has a distinctive smell, a sort of aromatic fingerprint. There are about 400 or so different aromatic compounds that make up the human scent—and about 30 of them appear to have a masking effect. If any of these compounds happen to be prominent in your aromatic fingerprint, it tends to make you less visible to mosquitoes. Other compounds act as attractants, making certain people not just visible to mosquitoes but bona fide mosquito magnets. About 10% of the population are mosquito magnets.
So, is there anything you can do to manipulate your smell in a way that makes you less appealing to mosquitoes? Is there any truth to the old wives’ tale that eating garlic can repel mosquitoes? Actually, there is."
http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtyti...ito-bites.aspx
