Where do body lice primarily live?

Body lice primarily live on bedding and clothing rather than directly on the skin or in hair. This is critical to understanding their behavior and lifecycle. Body lice are adapted to survive in the seams and folds of clothing, where they can remain hidden and maintain a stable environment conducive to their reproduction and feeding. When they need to feed, they move to the skin, but their primary habitat is indeed the clothing and bedding where they can find warmth and protection.

The other choices, while they may seem plausible in different contexts, do not accurately reflect the typical habitats of body lice. Skin is a temporary feeding location, and while head lice inhabit hair, body lice are distinct in their preference for clothing. Additionally, water sources are not a suitable habitat for survival, as body lice require organic material—like blood—from a host to thrive. Hence, focusing on their actual living conditions in clothing and bedding provides a clear understanding of their biology and behavior.