Bug Identifier
Body Louse
Community identification

Body Louse

Pediculus humanus humanus

Order & Family
Order Phthiraptera, Family 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 by piercing the skin.

Behavior Patterns

Spends most of its lifecycle hiding in clothing seams, attaching eggs (nits) to fabric fibers.

Risks & Benefits

Acts as a vector for epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever.