Community identification
Body Louse
Pediculus humanus humanus
- Order & Family
- Order: Psocodea; Family: Pediculidae
- Size
- 2.5 mm to 3.6 mm
Natural Habitat
Typically found on human clothing, particularly in the seams; they only move to the skin to feed.
Diet & Feeding
Strictly hematophagous (blood-feeding); they feed on human blood several times a day.
Behavior Patterns
Body lice live and lay eggs in the folds of clothing and bedding used by humans. Unlike head lice, they do not live on the body, but crawl to the host's skin to feed. They are associated with crowded living conditions and poor hygiene.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include intense itching and allergic reactions. More significantly, they are vectors for serious diseases such as epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever. There are no ecological benefits to humans.