
Community identification
Body louse
Pediculus humanus humanus
- Order & Family
- Order Phthiraptera, Family Pediculidae
- Size
- 2.3 to 3.6 millimeters long.
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.