Bug Identifier
Body louse
Community identification

Body louse

Pediculus humanus humanus

Order & Family
Order Psocodea, Family Pediculidae
Size
2.3 to 3.6 millimeters in length.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found exclusively in clothing seams and fibers, moving to human 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 directly on clothing threads.

Risks & Benefits

Acts as a vector for dangerous human pathogens such as typhus and trench fever.