MALLOPHAGA: BITING LICE (bird lice)
Definition
- Minute, flattened, wingless. Antennae very short.
- Head usually wide and front segment of thorax well developed and distinct.
- Scraping mouthparts.
- Incomplete life cycle: egg larva looking like adults and adult.
What they do & where they live
- Most live as parasites on birds, scraping skin and feathers; a few take blood, especially from wounds. Only a few species live on mammals.
- They are widespread in the wild but generally go un-noticed
Number of species
- In Britain about 500 species, including those on migrant birds.
- Worldwide 2,500 known species (but many more remain to be found).
It's amazing What a brilliant way for a wingless insect to be mobile. Even if your host migrates thousands of air miles, you have your hitch-hikers place already booked.
