> > How"I hate mosquitoes. They love me."ard
>

Well Howard, if you can't beat them, join 'em. You could always make some extra $$$ by hiring out your tasty blood in the form of the requisite sacrifical human -- i.e., advertise yourself as The Mosquito Magnet™ for picnics and social events, y'know? :-)


> I hate 'em too. You can't hardly eat out of doors with friends anymore without getting eaten alive. Even with citronella candles all around you. Bah.
>
> Gri"harumph!"shny

This month's Discover magazine lists the four Ultimate mosquito attractants which, when present together, make a person absolutely irresistable to a skeeter:

1. Lactic acid (by-product of muscular metabolism sweated through one's skin).
2. Acetone (produced when the body burns fat).
3. Dimethyl sulfide (by-product of proteins broken down by bacteria).
4. Carbon dioxide emissions (from one's breath).

From which I conclude that the above are volatile metabolic compounds which commercial citronella is inadequate to mask. Thus to avoid the mosquito problem, you really need a full-body spacesuit. Failing that, whenever you're outside during bug season, make sure you don't exercise, don't metabolize, don't eat large quantities of cabbage and garlic, and whatever you do, don't breathe, either. Very important.

Wolf "Skeeters with buzz saws" spirit