
Community identification
Body louse
Pediculus humanus humanus
- Order & Family
- Phthiraptera, Pediculidae
- Size
- 2.3 to 3.6 millimeters in length.
Natural Habitat
Found exclusively on human clothing, seams, and bedding rather than directly on the skin.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophagous ectoparasite feeding exclusively on human blood.
Behavior Patterns
Moves from clothing to skin only to feed several times daily. Lays eggs on fabric fibers.
Risks & Benefits
Acts as a vector for serious human pathogens including epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever.