Community identification
Louse (likely Head Louse)
Pediculus humanus capitis
- Order & Family
- Order: Psocodea, Family: Pediculidae
- Size
- 2mm to 3mm (larvae/nymphs are smaller)
Natural Habitat
The human scalp and hair
Diet & Feeding
Exclusively human blood, feeding several times a day
Behavior Patterns
Obligate parasites that cannot fly or jump; they move by crawling. They glue their eggs (nits) to hair shafts and spend their entire life cycle on the host.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include intense itching (pruritus) and potential secondary skin infections from scratching. They do not spread disease. There are no ecological benefits to humans.