Human Lice (Head louse / Body louse)

Exclusively on the human body; head lice inhabit the hair and scalp, while body lice live in clothing and move to the skin to feed.

Obligatory hematophages; they feed exclusively on human blood several times a day.

They are wingless and cannot jump or fly, spreading through direct contact or shared personal items. They undergo hemimetabolous metamorphosis: egg (nit), nymph, and adult.

Risks include intense itching, allergic reactions to saliva, and secondary skin infections from scratching. Body lice specifically can transmit serious diseases like epidemic typhus and trench fever. There are no known ecosystem benefits.