Body louse
Scientific Name: Pediculus humanus humanus
Order & Family: Order: Psocodea (formerly Phthiraptera), Family: Pediculidae
Size: 2.3 to 3.6 millimeters (about the size of a sesame seed)
Natural Habitat
Found on human clothing and bedding, moving to the skin only to feed.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophagous insects, meaning they feed exclusively on human blood several times a day.
Behavior Patterns
They live in the seams of clothing and lay eggs (nits) on fabric fibers. They crawl and spread through direct physical contact or by sharing infested clothing, towels, or bedding.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include physical discomfort, itching, and skin rashes. They are significant medical vectors capable of transmitting serious diseases such as epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever. There are no ecological benefits to humans.
Identified on: 1/1/2026