Louse

Natural Habitat

Obligate ectoparasites, living on the skin and hair/feathers of mammals and birds. Specific habitats depend on the host species.

Diet & Feeding

Lice are parasites. Depending on the species, they feed on blood (sucking lice) or skin, feathers, and sebaceous secretions (chewing/biting lice).

Behavior Patterns

Lice spend their entire lives on a single host, transferring only through direct contact. They lay eggs (nits) which are cemented to hair or feathers. They are wingless and move by crawling.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Lice are primarily considered pests, causing irritation, itching, and potential secondary skin infections in their hosts (including humans, e.g., head lice, body lice, pubic lice). They can also transmit diseases in some cases (e.g., epidemic typhus by body lice). Benefits: None known to humans, but they are a natural part of various ecosystems, serving as food for some predators.

Identified on: 9/14/2025