Bug Identifier
Body louse
Community identification

Body louse

Pediculus humanus humanus

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

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.