Head Louse

The head louse is an obligate ectoparasite of humans. Head lice are wingless insects that spend their entire lives on the human scalp and feed exclusively on human blood. Humans are the only known hosts of this specific parasite, while chimpanzees and bonobos host a closely related species, Pediculus schaeffi. Other species of lice infest most orders of mammals and all orders of birds. Scientific Name: Pediculus humanus capitis Range: Worldwide — obligate human parasite Size: 2—3 mm Status: Pest ID Notes: Wingless, dorsoventrally flattened. Specialized claws grip individual hair shafts. Eggs ('nits') glued to hair near scalp. Behavior / Notes: Spread by close head-to-head contact, common in schoolchildren. Cannot survive >24–48 hours off a host.