Can Mosquitoes Bite Through Clothes?

Do mosquito bites ever seem to appear out of thin air? After all, you wear clothing each day and still wake up with red, itchy welts. It’s almost as if the nasty biter pierced your favorite shirt to reach your skin. Can mosquitoes bite through clothes? If mosquitoes can bite through clothing, how can you possibly protect yourself from getting bitten? We know you’re itching to learn the answer, and this blog won’t disappoint.

Understanding How Mosquitoes Bite

Mosquitoes are a huge nuisance, but their tiny, fragile bodies can’t possibly bite you through a t-shirt. You’d think the mosquito had to crawl under your clothing to drink your blood. Right?

Let’s cut to the chase: Can mosquitoes bite through clothes? In some instances, yes.

Mosquitoes can bite through clothes because they are equipped with a highly specialized mouthpart called a proboscis. The proboscis is a super long, flexible, tube-like structure designed to penetrate skin and suck up blood. This feeding tube is nearly half the length of the mosquito's body! It’s also flexible enough to navigate around obstacles like clothing fibers as it penetrates layers of skin. The extraordinary length and flexibility of the proboscis enables mosquito bites through clothes and into the blood supply — us.

They are particularly adept at navigating thin, loosely woven fabrics. Lightweight materials like cotton, linen, and some synthetics are more vulnerable to mosquito bites due to their open weave. This creates tiny gaps that allow the biter’s proboscis to slip right through to meet the skin. Fabrics that are particularly thin and tight-fitting, such as spandex, provide no real barrier to the biters and very little distance between the mosquito and the skin.

How Do Mosquitoes Bite Through Clothes?

Remember that fabric that looks tightly woven to us appears to have wide open pathways to a tiny mosquito perched on it. The spaces between fibers allow the flexible proboscis to slide through easily. In addition to blood-sucking, the proboscis is equipped with tiny barbs that allow it to cut minute holes in skin or thin fabric at need to reach the blood it seeks. This is how mosquitoes can bite through clothes, so long as the fabric isn’t too thick or worn too loose.

Can Mosquitoes Bite Through Different Fabrics?

Although mosquitoes can bite through clothes to feast on your blood, it’s not their preferred method. They will always look for exposed skin first so they can feed more easily and efficiently. And there are some types of clothing mosquitoes can’t bite through. Thicker materials offer more protection than thin, breezy fabrics.

How do mosquitoes bite through clothes made of different fabrics? The following is a breakdown of how much protection different fabrics offer:

Can mosquitoes bite through jeans? They can, but they probably won’t try. Denim is a thick, tightly woven fabric and a mosquito will most likely look for an easier target instead. Don’t forget to wear socks to protect yourself from those ankle biters!!

Because insect repellents, such as DEET, are not safe for use on babies, infants, and very young children, clothing is the best way to protect them from mosquito bites. Dressing children from head to toe is a better option. Thick fabrics and loose fits are the best line of defense against bites!

The Impact of Clothing Fit on Mosquito Protection

We know that mosquitoes can bite through clothing if the fabric is thin enough. But what about fit? Thin and tight-fitting fabrics tend to be on the lighter side, and mosquitoes can quickly puncture these materials to reach your skin immediately below. That means you should leave your favorite leggings at home! (However, if you do suffer a bite, we’ve got tips for how to stop the itch.) Loose clothing is harder for mosquitoes to bite through because it doesn’t sit directly against the skin. The gap between loose cloth and skin is difficult for the biter’s proboscis to bridge. If mosquitoes cannot reach your skin and the blood beneath it, they’ll move on to an easier target.

So, what clothes can mosquitoes not bite through? Opt for loose-fitting, long-sleeved tops and full-length pants made from thicker or tightly woven fabrics. Materials such as denim, canvas, and tightly woven cotton offer a significant barrier to mosquito bites. Try layering a lightweight jacket or overshirt over your outfit to create an extra buffer without sacrificing comfort.

Color and Its Role in Attracting Mosquitoes

Not only can mosquitoes bite through clothes, but they demonstrate clear preferences for lightweight materials worn close to the body. Such fashion sense! Do they care about color, too? Turns out they are highly attracted to dark colors such as black, navy, and red. Why? Mosquitoes are expert hunters with heat-sensing antennas that help them to locate their prey. Because dark-colored clothing absorbs and traps heat, it beckons the little biters. Light-colored clothing, however, reflects heat away from the wearer.

Mosquitoes have shown a marked preference for dark-colored clothing. One study published in The Journal of Medical Entomology found that mosquitoes are two to three times more likely to land on dark colors compared to lighter colors such as white, khaki, and beige.

Combining Clothing with Other Preventive Measures

Even if you take all the precautions and wear heavy-duty fabrics down to your wrists and ankles in light colors with a loose fit, you may still get mosquito bites. What gives? In most cases, the mosquito gets under your clothing before taking a drink. Just because mosquitoes can bite through clothes doesn’t mean they don’t prefer to bite the skin directly. Gaps near the neckline, sleeves, or even buttons are perfect mosquito entryways. And once the mosquito gets in, it can bite several times.

Here’s what you can do to boost your protection:

• Use Insect Repellent on Clothing: Always pack plenty of insect repellent. Be sure to spray directly on your clothes, but avoid getting it on your bare skin. DEET and other pesticides may cause skin reactions.
• Try Insect-Repellent-Treated Clothing: Consider wearing insect-repellent-treated clothing if you’re spending extended time outdoors. Camping supplies stores and outdoor sporting goods stores have multiple options.

Protect Yourself from Mosquito Bites

If this doesn’t sound like the summer fun you were hoping for, call on the pros at Mosquito Joe®. Our award-winning pest control services wrangle a wide variety of pests, and our mosquito control offers several options so we can tailor our highly effective solutions to your specific needs. We provide:

• Barrier sprays
• Eco-friendly treatments
• Mosquito misting systems
• Specialized mosquito traps
• Special event mosquito control

The Neighborly Done Right Promise® and the Mosquito Joe Satisfaction Guarantee back everything we do, so you can count on being pleased with our services.

Mosquito Joe is making the outdoors fun again! Request your free estimate, and we’ll send those biters packing.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and may not be applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your home and property. Mosquito Joe is not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of this blog content or your actions. For the most accurate guidance, contact your local Mosquito Joe location for a comprehensive, on-site assessment.