
Community identification
Body louse
Pediculus humanus humanus
- Order & Family
- Order Phthiraptera, Family Pediculidae
- Size
- 2.3 to 3.6 millimeters in length.
Natural Habitat
Found exclusively on human clothing and undergarments, moving to the skin only to feed.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophagous ectoparasite feeding exclusively on human blood.
Behavior Patterns
Spends most of its lifecycle clinging to textile fibers, laying eggs in clothing seams.
Risks & Benefits
Acts as a vector for dangerous human pathogens such as epidemic typhus, trench fever, and relapsing fever.