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 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.