Bug Identifier
Body louse
Community identification

Body louse

Pediculus humanus humanus

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

Natural Habitat

Found primarily in clothing seams, bedding, and direct contact with human skin.

Diet & Feeding

Exclusively human blood, feeding several times a day.

Behavior Patterns

Spends most of its life clinging to clothing fibers, moving to the skin only to feed. Eggs are attached to fabric threads.

Risks & Benefits

Acts as a vector for serious human pathogens including epidemic typhus and trench fever. Provides no ecological benefits to humans.