Community identification
Body louse
Pediculus humanus humanus
- Order & Family
- Order: Psocodea (suborder Phthiraptera), Family: Pediculidae
- Size
- 2.3 to 3.6 millimeters in length.
Natural Habitat
Found primarily on the clothing and bedding of infested humans; they only move to the skin to feed.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages; they feed exclusively on human blood several times a day.
Behavior Patterns
They live and lay their eggs (nits) in the seams of clothing and move to the body for blood meals. They prefer crowded living conditions where clothing is not changed or laundered frequently.
Risks & Benefits
Risks: They are vectors for serious diseases including epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever. They also cause intense itching (pediculosis corporis). Benefits: None.