Body Louse (Nits/Eggs)

Natural Habitat

Typically found on clothing, bedding, and seams/linings of garments worn by infested individuals; they only move to the skin to feed.

Diet & Feeding

Obligate blood-feeders, consuming human blood multiple times a day.

Behavior Patterns

Unlike head lice, body lice live and lay their eggs in the seams of clothing. They move onto the human body only to feed and are usually associated with environments where regular laundering and hygiene are not accessible.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Significant health concern as they can transmit serious bacterial diseases such as louse-borne typhus, trench fever, and epidemic relapsing fever. Infestations cause intense itching and skin rashes (pediculosis). There are no known ecological benefits.

Identified on: 1/6/2026