Louse (likely Head Louse egg)

Scientific Name: Pediculus humanus capitis

Order & Family: Order: Psocodea, Family: Pediculidae

Size: Nits (eggs) are approximately 0.8 mm long; adults are 2 to 3 mm.

Louse (likely Head Louse egg)

Natural Habitat

Typically found on the human scalp, specifically attached to hair shafts near the skin.

Diet & Feeding

Strictly hematophagous; they feed on human blood several times a day.

Behavior Patterns

They are wingless and cannot jump or fly, spreading through direct head-to-head contact. Eggs (nits) are cemented to the hair shaft with a specialized glue-like substance.

Risks & Benefits

They do not transmit disease but cause intense itching (pediculosis) and secondary skin infections from scratching. They provide no ecosystem benefits to humans; they are obligate parasites.

Identified on: 4/17/2026