Louse

Scientific Name: Phthiraptera (Order)

Order & Family: Order: Phthiraptera; Families include Pediculidae (Human lice) or Pthiridae (Pubic lice)

Size: 0.5 mm to 8 mm (this specimen appears to be on the smaller end, around 1-3 mm)

Louse

Natural Habitat

Typically found on the bodies or clothing of avian or mammalian hosts, including humans.

Diet & Feeding

Obligate ectoparasites that feed on blood, skin secretions, or feathers depending on the species.

Behavior Patterns

Wingless insects that spend their entire life cycle on a host; they move by crawling and attach eggs (nits) to hair shafts or clothing fibers.

Risks & Benefits

Risks include physical discomfort, itching, and potential transmission of diseases such as typhus or trench fever; they offer no ecological benefits to humans.

Identified on: 1/12/2026