Body louse

Natural Habitat

Typically found on clothing and bedding of infested humans; they move to the skin to feed.

Diet & Feeding

Exclusively human blood; they feed several times a day.

Behavior Patterns

Unlike head lice, they live and lay eggs (nits) in the seams of clothing and bedding, only crawling onto the body to feed. They spread through direct physical contact or sharing infested textiles.

Risks & Benefits

Risks include intense itching and skin rashes (pediculosis). They are significant vectors for serious diseases such as epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever. There are no ecological benefits to humans.

Identified on: 3/6/2026