Body louse Pediculus humanus

It is not certain when people first started wearing elothes. Scientists estimate that this happened more than 100,000 years ago, beeause the body louse (pediculus humanus humanus) apparently diverged from the head louse (pedi-culus humanus capitis) at that time. The first elothes were made from natural materials animal skin and furs, grasses and leaves and the first needles are recorded about 30,000 years ago. 

K. Y. Muncuoglu, R. Galun, U. Bach, J. Miller, and S. Magdassi, Repellency of essential oils and their components to the human body louse, Pediculus humanus humanus. Entomological Experimentation and Applications, 78 309-314,1996. 

Three species of lice occur as parasites on humans. These lice are blood suckers, and they can be disconcertingly abundant under unsanitary conditions. The human louse, Pediculus humanus, occurs as two races, which feed on different parts of the body. The head louse, capitis race, occurs in the hairs of the head, to which it attaches its whitish eggs, also known as nits. The body louse corporis race, also known as the cootie, feeds on the human body, and hides and lays its... 

The two species that belong to this group include Pediculus humanus capitis (head louse) and P. humanus corporis (body louse). The eggs (or nits) remain firmly attached to the hair, and in about 10 days the lice hatch to form nymphs, which mature in 2 weeks. The lice become attached to the base of the hair follicle and feed on the blood of the host.10 Pubic or crab lice are found on the hairs around the genitals, but may occur... 

Phthiriasis palpebrarum is an imcommon eyelid infestation by Phthiruspubis (crab louse) and, less commonly, by the Pediculus bumanus species, P. humanus var. capitis (head louse) and P humanus var. corporis (body louse). The term pediculosis refers to infestation by the two P humanus species and should not generally be used when referring to eyelid manifestations. 

---