Louse (Head, Body, or Pubic)

Scientific Name: Pediculus humanus capitis / Pediculus humanus humanus / Pthirus pubis

Order & Family: Order: Psocodea; Family: Pediculidae or Pthiridae

Size: 1mm to 3mm

Louse (Head, Body, or Pubic)

Natural Habitat

Humans, specifically on hair shafts, skin, or clothing fibers depending on the species.

Diet & Feeding

Hematophagous; they feed exclusively on human blood several times a day.

Behavior Patterns

They are wingless, crawling insects that cannot jump or fly. They attach their eggs (nits) to hair or clothing fibers with a specialized glue. They are highly specialized to live on human hosts and die quickly if separated from a host.

Risks & Benefits

Risks include intense itching, skin irritation, and secondary bacterial infections from scratching. Body lice can transmit serious diseases like typhus, though head lice do not. They offer no ecological benefits to humans.

Identified on: 1/8/2026