How does a louse look on clothing? - briefly
A louse appears as a tiny, flattened, grayish‑brown insect about 2–4 mm long, often seen as a small speck or moving dot on fabric fibers. Its body is elongated with a broad head and six legs that may cling to the weave, making it visible as a faint, irregular spot.
How does a louse look on clothing? - in detail
A louse attached to fabric is a small, laterally flattened insect, typically 2–4 mm long, with a broad, oval body that tapers toward the rear. The dorsal surface is covered by a hard, brownish‑gray exoskeleton, giving the creature a matte sheen that blends with many textile colors. The head bears a pair of short antennae and compound eyes; these features are often hidden beneath the body when the parasite is clinging to fibers.
The legs are six in total, each ending in sharp claws that grip individual threads. When the louse is positioned on a garment, the claws anchor to the weave, creating a tiny, irregular indentation in the fabric surface. This indentation may be visible as a slight puckering or raised spot, especially on smooth or tightly woven materials such as cotton, polyester, or silk.
The abdomen contains segmented plates that can be seen as faint, overlapping lines along the length of the body. In live specimens, the abdomen may appear slightly swollen due to blood meals, giving a more bulbous silhouette. After death, the body collapses, and the exoskeleton becomes flatter, often resembling a tiny, dark speck.
Key visual cues include:
- Size comparable to a grain of rice, but flatter.
- Uniform brown‑gray coloration with occasional lighter patches on the ventral side.
- Six clawed legs clustered near the front and rear ends.
- Minute, raised bump or distortion on the fabric where the claws grip.
When multiple lice are present, they may cluster together, forming a line or small group that creates a series of raised spots along a seam or hem. This pattern can aid in detection during inspection.