What do clothing lice feed on? - briefly
Clothing lice subsist on the blood of their human host, piercing the skin to obtain a small meal each time they emerge. Their diet is exclusively hematophagous, requiring regular blood intake for development and reproduction.
What do clothing lice feed on? - in detail
Clothing lice, scientifically known as Pediculus humanus corporis, are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites. Their sole source of nourishment is the blood of humans whose garments they inhabit. The insects locate a host through heat and carbon‑dioxide cues, then insert a slender, serrated mouthpart into the epidermis to access capillary blood.
Each adult consumes roughly 0.5–1 µL of blood per meal, a volume sufficient to sustain metabolic activity for several days. Nymphs require proportionally smaller quantities but feed with the same frequency. A single louse typically takes a blood meal every 30–60 minutes during active periods, resulting in multiple feedings per day. The ingested blood supplies essential proteins, hemoglobin, iron, and water, all of which are necessary for growth, egg production, and survival.
Digestive processing occurs over 2–5 days, after which the insect becomes ready to feed again. Absence of a host for more than 48 hours leads to rapid dehydration and death, underscoring the parasite’s dependence on continuous blood intake. Clothing fibers, skin scales, or environmental debris do not constitute nutritional material for these insects; they serve only as shelter and a platform for host contact.
Key aspects of the feeding behavior:
- Host detection: heat, CO₂, and movement cues.
- Insertion: serrated stylet pierces epidermis.
- Volume per meal: 0.5–1 µL of blood.
- Frequency: every 30–60 minutes during activity.
- Digestion time: 2–5 days.
- Nutrient profile: proteins, hemoglobin, iron, water.
- Survival limit without blood: ~48 hours.
Understanding these details clarifies why control measures focus on eliminating infested clothing and maintaining personal hygiene to disrupt the lice’s access to blood.