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Those who know me, know that I'm not what you would call an 'outdoorsy' person. Some would even call me a 'princess' - which, eventually, I do plan on challenging when we do go camping, some day (can't let that awesome tent deal go to waste, after all). One of the main reasons I remain cloistered in the comforts of 4 walls is the avoidance of bug bites. Over the past few years, I've managed to escape quite unscathed - ending the summer with only perhaps a few bites all season long. This year, however, is a whoooolllle other story.

This past weekend, after having spent just two nights in a row sitting outside after dark, I'm left with a multitude of pesky little bites. Earlier in the week, at prime itch, my ankles looked like I had hives. It was disgusting. I almost took a photo for all to see, but thought better of it. It was very unpretty. Put it this way - after applying "After Bite" on just one ankle (not yet getting to the other one), I posed the question, "Can you get high from this stuff?".

Why am I SO attractive to those little beasts? I found this article:

Humans produce an aromatic bouquet of hundreds of chemicals, some of which are irresistible to skeeters. But scientists have only, um, scratched the surface of what makes some people more bite-worthy than others. Drinking beer may attract them (yes, researchers studied this, though they didn't discover why beer breath is so alluring), and having high cholesterol, another study shows, makes you a more likely target (experts theorize it's because mosquitoes need cholesterol but can't make it on their own). Bad news for the overly hydrated reader earlier: "We also know that people who sweat less are not as attractive to mosquitoes," says Ulrich Bernier, Ph.D., a research chemist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and an expert on mosquito attractants and repellents. He and other scientists are working to develop compounds that actually will cloak your body's scent, rendering you invisible to mosquitoes, whose sense of smell is much keener than their eyesight. In the meantime, to keep from scratching all through your next tropical vacation, cover up, wear repellent (such as Off! Deep Woods), and don't fidget: Movement attracts the little buggers, too.

Source: http://health.msn.com/womens-health/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100213925&GT1=31036

Suppose now I can blame it on the homemade beer consumption? Or perhaps I have a bigger problem on my hands and should ask for a cholesterol test next doctor's appointment?