Why Do Mosquitoes Bite Me? Natural Ways to Prevent Bites and Calm Your Body's Response
- Jul 28
- 4 min read
Have you ever been sitting in the garden with friends and you're the only one batting away mosquitoes or scratching fresh bites? If it feels as though biting insects have singled you out it might be time to think about a DEET-free summer bite kit.
Mosquitoes and midges are attracted to certain people more than others, but getting bitten is only part of the story. How your body responds afterwards can be just as important.
As a Nutritional Therapist and Naturopath, I'm interested not only in helping you avoid insect bites naturally, but also in understanding why some people experience far more swelling, itching and irritation than others.
Why do mosquitoes bite some people more than others?
Despite the old myth, mosquitoes aren't attracted to 'sweet blood'. Instead, they use a combination of cues, including:
Carbon dioxide released when you breathe
Body heat
Sweat
Chemicals produced by your skin microbiome
Blood group
Pregnancy
Alcohol consumption
It's also thought that alcohol and fermented foods can temporarily make you more attractive to biting insects by changing the compounds released through your breath and sweat. While you can't change your genetics, you can make yourself much less appealing to mosquitoes.
Natural ways to prevent mosquito and midge bites
The first line of defence is surprisingly simple: cover up. Lightweight long sleeves and trousers can make a huge difference, particularly around dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
In my DEET-free summer bite kit for everyday summer use in the UK, I choose a plant-based insect repellent rather than one containing DEET or permethrin because these are both synthetic chemicals.
Products containing lemon eucalyptus (PMD) have been shown to offer protection comparable to lower concentrations of DEET against mosquitoes, making them one of the best natural alternatives.
Other ingredients worth looking out for include:
Cedarwood, which midges appear to dislike.
Citronella, extracted from lemongrass, which helps mask the scents that attract biting insects.
Neem oil, traditionally used to repel mosquitoes, ticks and other biting insects.
Peppermint, helps deter flies, ants and spiders.
Tea tree, whose distinctive aroma can help discourage insects.
Because essential oils evaporate more quickly than DEET, they need reapplying every two to three hours, especially if you're outdoors or sweating. This is often why people think natural repellents don't work, when in reality they simply haven't been reapplied often enough.
If you'd rather buy than make your own, I like the DEET-free range from Incognito.
If you're travelling to a country where mosquitoes transmit diseases such as malaria, dengue or yellow fever, the balance of risk changes. In those situations, always follow official travel health advice and use the protection recommended for your destination.
A simple DIY natural insect repellent
If you enjoy making your own products, try this easy blend:
40ml carrier oil (such as jojoba or sweet almond oil)
4 drops geranium essential oil
4 drops rosemary essential oil
Mix well and apply generously to exposed skin, especially around the ankles where mosquitoes and midges often bite.
If you have sensitive skin, reduce the recipe to two drops of each essential oil.
This blend is best used in the evening, as essential oils can increase your skin's sensitivity to sunlight, and is a great blend for children. Always dilute essential oils correctly and carry out a patch test before first use.
Why do some people react so badly to insect bites?
Getting bitten and reacting to bites aren't necessarily the same thing. Some people don't attract significantly more insects than everyone else, but their immune system releases much more histamine in response to the insect's saliva. This is what causes the redness, swelling and itching.
If your bites become unusually swollen, hot or intensely itchy compared with everyone else's, it may be worth considering whether there's an underlying imbalance contributing to that response.
As a nutritional therapist, I think about the bigger picture. Poor gut health, an imbalance in the gut microbiome, nutrient deficiencies and a higher overall histamine load can all influence how effectively your body regulates inflammation. While these aren't the only factors involved, they may help explain why some people react far more dramatically to insect bites than others.
How to soothe insect bites naturally
If you do get bitten, acting quickly can help limit the reaction. Apply a cold compress, or an ice cube wrapped in a clean tea towel, for a few minutes to help reduce the histamine response before swelling becomes established. Follow this with a fragrance-free aloe vera gel or calendula cream to soothe the skin. Avoid heavily fragranced products, which can make irritated skin feel even worse.
Homeopathic Ledum and Apis can be helpful additions to your DEET-free summer bite kit.
Can nutrition help?
While nutrition won't stop mosquitoes biting you, it can influence how strongly your body reacts afterwards.
Supporting healthy histamine regulation may help over time. Foods naturally rich in quercetin, such as red onions, apples and capers, alongside plenty of vitamin C-rich fruit and vegetables, provide nutrients that support your body's normal histamine metabolism.
They're not a quick fix for today's bite, but they may help reduce how dramatically you react over the longer term.
My summer bite kit
When I build my DEET-free summer bite kit, I include:
A DEET-free insect repellent containing PMD, citronella and cedarwood.
My homemade geranium and rosemary blend.
Fragrance-free aloe vera gel or calendula cream.
Homeopathic Ledum and Apis.
And remember to eat plenty of colourful, nutrient-rich foods to support healthy histamine balance.
Looking beyond the bite
If insect bites leave you with excessive swelling, relentless itching or reactions that seem far worse than everyone else's, it may be worth looking beyond the bite itself.
Sometimes the way your body responds offers clues about what's happening beneath the surface. By supporting gut health, improving nutrient status and helping to regulate histamine, we can often reduce inflammatory responses more generally, not just to insect bites.
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If you'd like support getting to the root cause of ongoing symptoms, I'd love to help. You can book a free discovery call to find out whether nutritional therapy is the right next step for you.
Book a discovery call here to find out more.
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