Which Scents Attract Bugs?

Much of our energy is spent repelling bugs during the warmer months, but have you thought about what attracts them to the scene? Pests use their senses to determine where they want to go, like we do. Smell is actually the first sense they use when trying to find food sources because pests follow scent trails straight to their next meal. Once they sniff out (literally) a food, pests use their other senses to determine if it’s safe to eat.

But their sense of smell is what we’re focusing on right now. It’s interesting to think about how certain scents are gross or completely undetectable by us, but appealing to specific pests as soon as they get a whiff. Let’s take a closer look at six odors that attract multiple pests and see why they follow the trail of these scents straight into the source — and into our homes.

Florals

Affected Pests: wasps, bees, hornets, yellow jackets, bed bugs, mosquitoes

Possibly the most common insect-attracting scent, floral odors appeal to pests in a number of ways. Floral perfumes, hair products, and lotions are essentially giant neon signs for certain pests that tell them to follow the sweet trail. This response is completely biological for many insects because real flowers purposefully create their signature scent. Pollinators (butterflies, bees, etc.) seek out strong-smelling flowers since those have the most nectar and pollen. When a flower is invaded by garden pests, it weakens its scent in order to attract parasitic wasps that take care of the problem in their horrific way.

With this in mind, it’s easy to see why insects can’t resist our floral-scented products. They think they’re about to find the best nectar-producing flower ever! The pests that love florals have a great sense of smell and are able to separate flowers from other greenery. There are many studies on the subject of pest-attracting odors, some with a focus on the essential ingredients in our cosmetic products. It seems that the floral-scented items with lactic acid, alpha hydroxy acids, and potent floral scents are the most appealing to insects. It’s still okay to use floral products, but try using a bit less if you’re spending time outdoors — especially near a flower garden — for a while.

Alcohol

Affected Pests: mosquitoes, fruit flies, beetles, ants

This doesn’t mean that pests like to party on Friday nights, as far as we know. Alcoholic drinks attract pests for two main reasons that vary depending on the insect. One reason is that alcohol affects our blood and makes us even more appealing to bloodthirsty pests. If you’re sipping on an adult beverage and getting devoured by mosquitoes at an outdoor party, it’s not a coincidence. Mosquitoes love feeding from a person who is drinking because alcohol produces ethanol in our sweat and raises our body temperature, both of which are appealing to the bloodsuckers.

The second reason why alcohol attracts pests isn’t even affected by how much we drink. Certain insects love alcoholic beverages because of what they contain. Fermented fruit and yeast are irresistible to fruit flies, especially when the drink sits out for a long time. Beverages with yeast, like beer, smell like ripened fruit to these flies. Red wine is also appealing because of the aforementioned fruit fermentation. Fruit flies can follow the scent trail of an opened alcoholic beverage straight to the source, and they just need a little bit to lay their eggs within. If you prefer to enjoy your cold beverages outdoors, keep an eye on them and rinse out the container when you’re done.

Socks & Shoes

Affected Pests: flies, bed bugs, mosquitoes, roaches

We usually try to avoid smelly socks and shoes, so it’s strange to think about creatures that seek out these odors. Similar to the smell of alcohol, the scent of used socks and shoes appeals to different pests for various reasons. Bloodthirsty pests, like mosquitoes and bed bugs, use these scents to find a new host. Mosquitoes use the scent of our sweat and body odor to locate their next meal, especially when it’s hot outside. Bed bugs love dirty laundry in general since they not only get closer to humans, they also have a darkened hiding spot!

Flies and roaches also love dirty socks and shoes, but for an entirely different reason. They are attracted to all of the most off-putting features of these useful items. The highlights for them are the sources of darkness, moisture, odor, and possible food stains. The longer that dirty laundry sits untouched, the more likely it is to attract some nasty pests. Smelly socks and shoes are (as usual) even more appealing to these pests in the summer because there is additional sweat within the apparel. Try not to let the laundry pile sit out for too long, and keep your shoes stored in a ventilated area.

Sugary Beverages

Affected Pests: ants, bees, wasps, yellow jackets, mosquitoes, house flies

The scent of sugary beverages appeals to many pests because of the high sugar content, which is coincidentally why they appeal to humans as well. Some of the pests (wasps, mosquitoes, etc.) that like sugary drinks usually live off of flower nectar, so the sweetness is naturally appetizing to them. This is also why sweet-scented candles attract mosquitoes in the summer.

Fruit juices, sodas, lemonades, and sports drinks all contain the amount of sugar that these pests crave, especially when they sit out for a long time. Pests have an easier time locating the sweet odor’s source if it’s exposed for hours on end. Any drops or spills from sugary beverages are even more appealing to insects because they don’t have to work as hard to get a sip! Ants and house flies are usually the first on the scene of a spill, so make sure to clean it up with a damp cloth or antibacterial wipe.

Sweat

Affected Pests: bed bugs, mosquitoes

We’ve talked about the socks and shoes that our sweat contaminates, but now it’s time to focus on the sweat itself. Sweat is a body’s natural way of cooling itself off, especially while exercising or existing in high temperatures. This is exactly why our sweat alerts bloodsucking pests to our location and gives them an easy scent trail to follow. Bed bugs and mosquitoes need warm blood to survive, so a human who is warm to the point of sweating is the perfect host.

Sweat just seems like a specific type of moisture our bodies produce, but it actually contains quite a few natural chemicals. Lactic acid, for one, is in everyone’s sweat and appeals to bloodthirsty insects for that very reason. Each person has signature chemical compounds in their skin that are detectable by bed bugs. The pheromones in our sweat also alert nearby mosquitoes to our presence while they’re searching for their next meal. It’s tempting to apply a lot of perfume or cologne to cover up our sweaty scents, but it might not be the best idea if the product is extremely floral (see the first section for the reasons why).

Fruits

Affected Pests: wasps, ants, bees, fruit flies, mosquitoes

Fresh fruit is a delicious scent for humans, so it’s not hard to see why many pests also love this odor. Fruit is naturally sweet and therefore appealing to all kinds of critters, especially when the crops are ripe or overripe. Take wasps, for instance. Most common wasps are eusocial and therefore work hard to sustain their ever-growing colonies. A wasp that’s scavenging for enough food to feed the thousand other wasps in its nest will happily follow a sweet scent trail to the source: fresh fruit.

Unsurprisingly, fruit flies also love invading fruit that grows in a garden or orchard. They seek out overly-sweet scents because those are characteristic of overripe fruit, exactly what these flies need to survive. When female fruit flies discover a piece of soft fruit, they lay thousands of tiny eggs on it in order to give their offspring a good food source. This disgusting practice contaminates all kinds of fresh fruit, especially when it’s unprotected and left out for a while. If you have any fruit trees or plants, harvest the fruit in a timely manner and don’t let any ripened produce sit out for too long.

Get The Sweet Smell Of Victory Against Pests With Green

Whether pests love your home for the scents or for the countless other reasons they invade — food, water, darkness, etc. — Green Pest Services is here to help. We aim to solve each pest issue with the utmost efficiency and care. That’s why we begin every service with a full inspection, as our goal is to find every area of pest activity and target them specifically. Our findings then help our experienced technicians to create a treatment plan customized to solve each issue. True to our name, all of our treatments are completely safe for people and pets but tough on pests. Contact us today for a free quote on our efficient pest control services!

Citations

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Luckett, P. (n.d.). What attracts insects to our backyard drinks and parties?. Koffee Kompanions. Available at https://www.koffeekompanions.com/blog-cozycomments/952017 (Accessed on February 29, 2024).

Miller, J. (2020, October 29). Do different smells attract insects?. Dr. Killigan’s. Available at https://drkilligans.com/blogs/pest-control/do-different-smells-attract-insects (Accessed on February 29, 2024).

University of Zurich. (2014, March 31). Plants use different scents to attract or repel insects. ScienceDaily. Available at https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140331083734.htm (Accessed on February 29, 2024).

Willingham, J. (2016, June 13). Bugs are super attracted to these scents. Bustle. Available at https://www.bustle.com/articles/166683-what-scents-attract-bugs-avoid-these-5-things-this-summer-if-you-dont-want-to-get (Accessed on February 29, 2024).