Community identification
Body Louse
Pediculus humanus humanus
- Order & Family
- Order: Psocodea / Family: Pediculidae
- Size
- 2.3 to 3.6 millimeters
Natural Habitat
Exclusively found on humans, typically living in the seams of clothing and moving to the skin to feed
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages; they feed exclusively on human blood multiple times a day
Behavior Patterns
They are highly dependent on human body warmth and proximity to clothing seams where they lay eggs (nits); they can survive away from a host for only a few days
Risks & Benefits
Risk: Known vectors for serious diseases including epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever. Benefit: No known benefits to humans or ecosystems