Bug Identifier
Body louse
Community identification

Body louse

Pediculus humanus humanus

Order & Family
Phthiraptera, Pediculidae
Size
2.3 to 3.6 millimeters in length.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found on clothing seams and fibers, moving to human skin only to feed.

Diet & Feeding

Feeds exclusively on human blood through piercing-sucking mouthparts.

Behavior Patterns

Spends most of its lifecycle hiding in fabric folds of clothing worn close to the skin.

Risks & Benefits

Acts as a vector for dangerous human pathogens like epidemic typhus and trench fever, causing severe skin irritation and itching.