
Community identification
Body louse
Pediculus humanus humanus
- Order & Family
- Phthiraptera, Pediculidae
- Size
- 2.3 to 3.6 mm in length.
Natural Habitat
Found exclusively in clothing seams and fibers, moving to human skin only to feed.
Diet & Feeding
Exclusively human blood, feeding several times a day.
Behavior Patterns
Spends its life cycle hiding in fabrics, laying eggs (nits) attached to clothing threads rather than directly on hair.
Risks & Benefits
Acts as a vector for dangerous human pathogens causing epidemic typhus, trench fever, and relapsing fever.