
Community identification
Body louse
Pediculus humanus humanus
- Order & Family
- Phthiraptera, Pediculidae
- Size
- 2.3 to 3.6 mm
Natural Habitat
Human clothing seams and bedding, moving to skin only to feed.
Diet & Feeding
Exclusively human blood, feeding several times a day.
Behavior Patterns
Spends most of its lifecycle clinging to textile fibers rather than human hair. Females glue eggs directly to clothing threads.
Risks & Benefits
Acts as a vector for serious human pathogens including epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever.