Soap can make humans more attractive to mosquitoes, study finds

Researchers say mosquitoes may be attracted to soap because when not feeding on blood they supplement sugar intake with nectar

Lathering up with soap might seem a reasonable mosquito-evasion strategy on the basis that if they can’t smell you, they can’t bite you.

However, a study suggests that rather than helping you go incognito, soapy fragrances could make you a more attractive target, with mosquitoes favouring the scent of volunteers who washed with three out of four popular soap brands tested.