Body Louse

Natural Habitat

They live in the seams of clothing and bedding used by infected humans, moving to the skin only to feed.

Diet & Feeding

Hematophagous (blood-sucking); they feed exclusively on human blood several times a day.

Behavior Patterns

Unlike head lice, body lice attach their eggs (nits) to clothing fibers rather than hair shafts. They tend to congregate in areas where clothing presses against the body, such as the waistline or collar.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Severe itching, skin discoloration (vagabond's disease), and secondary skin infections. More dangerously, they are vectors for typhus, trench fever, and relapsing fever. Benefit: None.

Identified on: 2/24/2026