What It’s Like to Be the Human in Mosquito Research

Christopher Zuo never thought of himself as someone mosquitoes singled out. They bit him from time to time, he said, but no more than anyone else who spent a lot of time outdoors.

"I don't know if I would say I'm prone," Zuo said. "I do get bitten, but I also think that's partly because I'm just outside a lot more."

However, that assumption did not hold up once he stepped inside a sealed mosquito chamber as part of a Georgia Tech research study.

Zuo, a Georgia Tech alum and co-author on the study, worked alongside Georgia Tech faculty member David Hu and researchers in Hu's fluid dynamics lab - and co-authors Chenyi Fei, Alex Cohen, Jorn Dunkel from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology - on a multi-year effort to understand how mosquitoes locate people. Using high-speed cameras, careful controls, and mathematical modeling, the research examined how mosquitoes respond to carbon dioxide and visual cues. To confirm whether the data reflected real-world behavior, the team needed a human subject.

Zuo volunteered.

Before entering the chamber, he knew the mosquitoes were safe. They had been raised in a laboratory environment and were carefully controlled, making the experiment safer than being outdoors during peak mosquito activity.

"We knew exactly how all of these mosquitoes were reared, so we knew they're disease-free," he said. "Honestly, even if I got bitten 100 plus times, the actual danger that I was in was very little."

Wearing a mesh suit, Zuo stood nearly motionless inside the chamber while mosquitoes were released and flew freely around him. Any movement could disrupt the data, so remaining still was critical even as mosquitoes gathered close to his face and upper body.

The response was immediate.

"You release the mosquitoes, and they're already on top of you," Zuo said. "Almost felt like it was instant."

What surprised him most was not the bites but the sound.

"I didn't realize how loud they were," he said. "When they're flying around your head, it's that annoying buzzing sound. I didn't realize how annoying it can get with just enough mosquitoes flying around."

The experience was not limited to a single trial. Zuo entered the chamber multiple times as the research progressed, testing different variables including posture, clothing, and body positioning. In some experiments, he was required to hold his arms extended so cameras could capture a consistent silhouette.

"It felt more like an exercise at the gym," Zuo said. "I was very much more focused on keeping my arms up and being as still as possible."

Across those repeated interactions, patterns emerged that closely matched what the data predicted. Mosquitoes found him quickly, clustered in specific areas, and lingered only when certain conditions aligned.

"And once the conditions were right," Zuo said, "they stayed."

Zuo's role helped bridge the gap between abstract modeling and human experience. It also challenged common assumptions about mosquito behavior that many people take for granted.

What follows are some of the most common mosquito myths, and what the Georgia Tech research and Zuo's firsthand experience actually showed.

Mosquito Myths vs. Reality

Myth: Mosquitoes swarm because they are following each other.
Reality: Mosquitoes respond independently to the same cues, which creates the appearance of swarming.

Trajectory data collected during the experiments showed no evidence that mosquitoes were coordinating or communicating with one another. Zuo explained that what people often describe as swarming is the result of multiple mosquitoes responding simultaneously to the same environmental signals. When carbon dioxide and a clear visual target are present, many mosquitoes converge on the same area independently. Zuo compared it to people arriving separately at the same crowded place because something there is attractive, not because they are following the crowd.

Myth: Mosquitoes randomly target different parts of the body.
Reality: In this study, mosquitoes concentrated near the head and shoulders, but only for the species observed, which is present in parts of the Southeast.

The Georgia Tech experiments focused on Aedes aegypti (dengue or yellow fever mosquito), a species found in parts of Georgia and other areas of the southeastern United States. Within that species, both trajectory data and Zuo's experience inside the chamber showed mosquitoes repeatedly clustering near the head and shoulders rather than distributing evenly across the body. Zuo observed this pattern while standing still in the mesh suit, as mosquitoes returned again and again to his upper body. The study also confirmed previous biting studies showing that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes target the upper body, while other mosquitoes might focus on other areas. Researchers linked the behavior to carbon dioxide released through breathing near the mouth and nose, paired with a strong visual target. Zuo emphasized that other mosquito species behave differently and that these findings should not be applied to all mosquitoes.

Myth: Carbon dioxide alone explains why mosquitoes find people.
Reality: Carbon dioxide and visual cues work together, and neither is enough on its own.

Zuo described experiments that isolated carbon dioxide using inanimate objects before introducing a human subject. Carbon dioxide alone helped mosquitoes locate the general area of a target but did not consistently keep them there. Visual cues alone helped mosquitoes recognize an object but did not hold their attention. When both signals were combined, mosquito behavior changed significantly. The research showed the response was nonlinear, meaning the combined effect was stronger than simply adding the two cues together.

Myth: Once mosquitoes find a target, they always stay nearby.
Reality: Mosquitoes do not linger unless conditions align.

The data showed that mosquitoes often passed by targets unless both carbon dioxide and visual signals were present at the same time. Zuo observed that once those conditions aligned during the mesh suit experiments, mosquitoes stayed close and returned repeatedly to the same areas. Without the full set of cues, they were less likely to remain focused on a target.

Myth: All mosquitoes behave the same way.
Reality: Mosquito behavior varies by species and environmental conditions.

Aedes aegypti, Zuo described, are capable of feeding in well-lit conditions rather than relying solely on dusk. He contrasted this with Anopheles (marsh) mosquitoes, which require darker conditions and are closely tied to light and dark cycles during experiments. Zuo emphasized that the findings reflect the behavior of a single species and that different mosquito species respond to different cues.

What the CDC Recommends During Mosquito Season

While the Georgia Tech research explains how mosquitoes locate people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines steps people can take during mosquito season to reduce the risk of bites.

The CDC recommends using Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellents on exposed skin and wearing loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Clothing and gear can also be treated with permethrin, which is designed for use on fabrics and not directly on skin. The agency also advises controlling mosquitoes indoors and outdoors by eliminating standing water and keeping window and door screens in good repair. The CDC notes that mosquitoes can bite during the day or night, depending on the species, and encourages precautions whenever mosquitoes are active.