Community identification
Human Head Louse
Pediculus humanus capitis
- Order & Family
- Order: Psocodea (formerly Anoplura); Family: Pediculidae
- Size
- 2 to 3 millimeters (about the size of a sesame seed).
Natural Habitat
Exclusively on the human scalp, where it lives close to the skin for warmth and accessibility to blood.
Diet & Feeding
Strictly hematophagous; it feeds on human blood multiple times a day.
Behavior Patterns
They are wingless and cannot jump or fly; they move by crawling. Females lay eggs (nits) and glue them to hair shafts. They cannot survive for more than 24-48 hours off a human host.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include intense itching, scalp irritation, and potential secondary bacterial skin infections from scratching. They are not known to transmit systemic diseases. There are no known benefits to humans.