Photo/Illutration Carbon dioxide sharpens mosquitoes' sense of smell and vision, helping them hunt down their targets. (Provided by Kao Corp.)

Exposure to carbon dioxide sharpens the senses of mosquitoes, enabling the bloodsuckers to better detect smelly socks and hone in on human prey, researchers found.

This discovery, announced on Aug. 20 by consumer goods company Kao Corp. and the Riken research institute, offers new insight into how mosquitoes locate humans and could lead to more effective repellents.

The research, published in Scientific Reports, challenges long-held assumptions about mosquito behavior.

Previously, it was believed that mosquitoes only use their sense of CO2, which humans exhale, to detect humans from a distance, and then switch to visual cues as they approach.

However, new experiments show that even after mosquitoes can see a person, continued exposure to CO2 sharpens both their vision and sense of smell.

Using lab-reared mosquitoes, researchers observed enhanced responses to stimuli following CO2 exposure.

Mosquitoes were more likely to track striped patterns resembling human figures, approach odorous socks and avoid the scent of herbs—all with heightened sensitivity.

Kao, which sells mosquito repellents in dengue-prone Southeast Asia, hopes the findings will lead to innovative mosquito control solutions.

“This study opens up new possibilities for developing novel mosquito-repellent materials,” said Aya Nanba, a researcher at the Kao Human Health Care Products Research Laboratory. “We will advance our research to help reduce the health risks caused by mosquito-borne diseases.”

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