Body Louse or Head Louse Nit (Egg)

Scientific Name: Pediculus humanus

Order & Family: Order: Psocodea (formerly Phthiraptera), Family: Pediculidae

Size: Nits (eggs) are approximately 0.8 mm long; adults are 2.5–3.5 mm.

Body Louse or Head Louse Nit (Egg)

Natural Habitat

Found exclusively on humans; head lice live on the scalp/hair, while body lice live in the seams of clothing and move to the skin to feed.

Diet & Feeding

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

Behavior Patterns

Nits are glued to hair shafts or clothing fibers with a specialized cement. They cannot fly or jump and are transmitted through direct physical contact or sharing infested items like clothing or bedding.

Risks & Benefits

Risks include intense itching (pruritus) and skin irritation. While head lice do not transmit disease, body lice can transmit serious diseases such as epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever. There are no ecological benefits.

Identified on: 1/6/2026