Community identification
Body louse
Pediculus humanus humanus
- Order & Family
- Order: Psocodea / Family: Pediculidae
- Size
- 2.1 mm to 3.6 mm
Natural Habitat
Typically found on human skin and in the seams of clothing, particularly in situations of poor hygiene or overcrowding.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate parasites that feed exclusively on human blood several times a day.
Behavior Patterns
They live in clothing and only move to the skin to feed. Unlike head lice, they lay their eggs (nits) in the seams of clothes rather than on hair.
Risks & Benefits
Risk: They are vectors for serious diseases such as epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever. Benefit: None to humans; they are an economic and health burden.