Bug Identifier
Body louse
Community identification

Body louse

Pediculus humanus humanus

Order & Family
Phthiraptera, Pediculidae
Size
2.3 to 3.6 millimeters in length.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

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.