Mosquito

Cool and comfortable mosquito-proof clothing could become available thanks to fabrics with special knits that the insects cannot penetrate

By Michael Le Page

13 May 2023

Mosquitoes’ mouthparts can easily penetrate most thin fabrics

Borkin Vadim/Shutterstock

Thin fabrics that block mosquito bites have been developed by experimenting with patterns made by knitting machines.

John Beckmann at Auburn University in Alabama set out to create bite-proof clothing after garments he bought for a canoeing trip failed to protect him. "I got eaten alive," he says.

Any clothing thicker than the length of a mosquito's proboscis will prevent bites, Beckmann says, but this clothing isn't suitable for warm climes where mosquitoes usually thrive.

His team started by testing the bite …

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