It's true, mosquitoes often target certain people more than others. Studies have shown that factors include a person's genetic makeup, their size, whether or not they're pregnant, the color shirt they're wearing — and even how many beers they've drank that evening.

Carbon dioxide is one of the first things mosquitoes detect on their hunt for food, through the use of a maxillary palp. Mosquitoes locate physically larger people more quickly because bigger people tend to exhale more carbon dioxide than smaller people.

If you're a summer beer-drinker, you might be an attractive feast for the pesky insects as well. A 2011 study found that people with alcohol in their systems may cause more mosquitoes to flock to them: "Our study demonstrated that percent mosquito landing on volunteers significantly increased after beer ingestion compared with before ingestion, showing clearly that drinking alcohol stimulates mosquito attraction."

People who exercise are more likely to attract mosquitoes post-workout because of the lactic acid, uric acid, and ammonia that is released through sweat.

The species of mosquito also affects where a person will get bitten. Certain mosquitoes are "ankle-biters," gravitating toward the feet due to the large amounts of bacteria living there. Others take aim at the neck and face because of the closeness of the carbon dioxide being exuded from the mouth.

Some people are actually more repellant to mosquitoes, due to a combination of chemical odors they emit.

"Mosquitoes fly through an aerial soup of chemicals, but can hone in on those that draw them to humans," James Logan, a researcher at Rothamsted, told the The Wall Street Journal. When the combination of odors is different or wrong, "the mosquito fails to recognize this signal as a potential blood meal," Logan said.

On July 8th, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene noted that West Nile virus had been detected in NYC mosquitoes in Queens and Staten Island but that the virus has not been found in any humans thus far.

Last year, the number of deaths from the West Nile virus reached a record high of 286, U.S. Health officials said. In New York City, 41 people died from the virus.

NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley noted the importance of wearing mosquito repellant and covering arms and legs at dawn or dusk outside.

"New Yorkers over 50 should be especially cautious, as they are more likely to develop serious illness if they contract the virus," Farley said.

According to the CDC, most people who contract the West Nile virus will not experience any symptoms, and less than 1% of people infected with the virus will develop the serious neurological disease associated with WNV that can lead to death.