Body louse nit (egg)

Natural Habitat

Typically found on clothing and bedding of humans, specifically near seams; occasionally found in body hair.

Diet & Feeding

Strictly hematophagous (feeds on human blood multiple times a day).

Behavior Patterns

Nits are glued to fabric fibers or hair. They require the warmth of the human body to hatch. Unlike head lice, body lice spend most of their time on clothing.

Risks & Benefits

High risk; they are vectors for serious diseases including epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever. They cause intense itching (pediculosis).

Identified on: 3/12/2026