Community identification
Head louse
Pediculus humanus capitis
- Order & Family
- Order: Psocodea, Family: Pediculidae
- Size
- 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm (approximately the size of a sesame seed).
Natural Habitat
Exclusively found on the human scalp, clinging to hair shafts and near the skin for warmth.
Diet & Feeding
Strictly hematophagous; they feed on human blood several times a day from the scalp.
Behavior Patterns
Wingless and incapable of hopping or flying; they move by crawling. They attach their eggs (nits) to hair shafts with a specialized glue. They cannot survive for more than 24-48 hours away from a human host.
Risks & Benefits
Causes intense itching (pruritus) due to an allergic reaction to their saliva. While highly contagious through direct head-to-head contact, they are not known vectors of any serious infectious diseases.