While a mosquito bite might be nothing but a fleeting nuisance for some, in many parts of the world, the buzzing pest poses a serious concern.

Mosquitoes are notorious for spreading deadly diseases, like malaria, which kills over 400,000 people each year. It’s no surprise mosquitoes have earned the title of the deadliest animal, along with the unofficial title of most irritating.

For over a century, scientists have studied how these tiny insects target their hosts. We’ve learned mosquitoes rely on a blend of cues: carbon dioxide from our breath, body odors, heat from our skin, and humidity. Yet, each cue on its own has limitations. For instance, mosquitoes have poor vision, and strong winds or rapid movement can disrupt their chemical tracking.

Enter the latest breakthrough from researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Their study reveals that mosquitoes have a previously unknown sense: infrared detection. Their research shows that mosquitoes use infrared radiation, emitted by sources at roughly human skin temperature, to double their host-seeking behavior when combined with CO2 and human odor.

The team found that infrared radiation enhances mosquitoes’ ability to find their targets from about 2.5 feet. The key to this discovery lies in the mosquitoes’ antennae, which contain specialized heat-sensing neurons.

By understanding how mosquitoes detect infrared, research may be able to develop better methods for controlling these flying fiends, and, by extension, reduce the spread of diseases they carry.

Not to mention how much they bug us.