Louse
Scientific Name: Pediculus humanus
Order & Family: Order: Psocodea, Family: Pediculidae
Size: 2 to 3 mm in length (about the size of a sesame seed).
Natural Habitat
The hair and scalp of humans (head lice) or human clothing (body lice).
Diet & Feeding
They feed exclusively on human blood several times a day.
Behavior Patterns
Lice cannot jump or fly; they move by crawling and are transmitted through direct contact. Females lay eggs (nits) that are firmly glued to hair shafts or clothing fibers.
Risks & Benefits
While head lice are primarily a nuisance causing itching and social distress, body lice are known to transmit infectious diseases such as typhus. They offer no known benefits to the ecosystem.
Identified on: 12/28/2025