Body Louse
Scientific Name: Pediculus humanus humanus
Order & Family: Order: Psocodea; Family: Pediculidae
Size: 2.3 to 3.6 millimeters in length (about the size of a sesame seed).
Natural Habitat
Inhabits clothing and bedding of people who are unable to wash or change clothes frequently; they migrate to the skin to feed.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate blood feeders, consuming human blood several times a day.
Behavior Patterns
They live and lay eggs (nits) in the seams of clothing and move to the body only to feed. They are spread by direct physical contact or contact with infested items.
Risks & Benefits
They can cause intense itching (pediculosis) and are known vectors for serious diseases such as epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever.
Identified on: 3/25/2026