Whilst I love travelling to far off climes, I dont love everything that comes with a tropical climate. Mossies. Urgh. So when I heard about a new discovery today by a researcher, Dr. Fredros Okumu, I decided it was my responsibility to share the good news with you. He has found that mosquitoes are more attracted to the bad smell emanating from dirty feet than to sleeping humans. 8 out of 10 mosquitos in his research preferred the smell of sweaty socks to the flesh of a human volunteer. As we speak, Okumo is building deadly traps for the vile insects in African rural communities. The trap is placed outside homes and is meant to complement bed nets and sprays already in use to protect people from mosquitoes that can carry malaria and other diseases. This is a fantastic breakthrough for the millions of people who die of malaria every year. And I hope that its also a breakthrough for me too. So when I escape on my next holiday somewhere exotic I know what I’ll be packing.. smelly socks.
