Body louse nit

Natural Habitat

Clothing, bedding, and seams/folds of fabric in close proximity to humans

Diet & Feeding

Hematophagous; survives on regular blood meals from human hosts

Behavior Patterns

Nits are the eggs of body lice that are glued to fibers of clothing rather than hair; they hatch into nymphs and then mature adults that only crawl to the skin to feed

Risks & Benefits

Risk: Known vectors of diseases such as epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever. Benefit: None.

Identified on: 3/12/2026