
Community identification
Body louse
Pediculus humanus humanus
- Order & Family
- Phthiraptera, Pediculidae
- Size
- 2.3 to 3.6 millimeters in length.
Natural Habitat
Found exclusively on human clothing and bedding, moving to the skin only to feed.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds exclusively on human blood through piercing mouthparts.
Behavior Patterns
Spends its life cycle attached to fabric fibers, laying eggs in seams of clothing.
Risks & Benefits
Acts as a vector for dangerous human pathogens like epidemic typhus and trench fever; provides no known benefit.