Naked Human Louse (Head, Body, or Pubic Louse remnant)

Exclusively on human hosts; specifically the hair of the scalp (head lice), clothing fibers (body lice), or coarse body hair (pubic lice).

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

They are wingless, crawling insects that cannot jump or fly. They attach their eggs (nits) to hair shafts or clothing seams and glue them in place. They die within 24-48 hours if separated from a human host.

Risks: Can cause intense itching, allergic reactions to saliva, and secondary skin infections from scratching. Body lice specifically are vectors for diseases like typhus. Benefits: None to the ecosystem or host; they are strictly parasitic.