Pictures of head lice

Lice_bluebackground

Adult male, female louse and nit.

adult louse clear

Adult lice are clear in color before they feed.

Nit

The nit, or egg, attached to hair shaft.

nit shell

An empty nit shell attached to hair shaft.

double nit hatching

Double nit hatching.

Adult male louse

Adult male louse.

Head Lice Picture

Stages of a louse: nit, nymph, and adult.

Head Lice w Ruler

Lice are a fraction of a centimeter in size.

 

Lice life cycle facts:

  • The life cycle of head lice lasts about 30-35 days from egg (or nit) to adult.
  • The female louse can lay as many as 10 eggs per day.
  • The incubation of the egg usually lasts between 7-10 days.
  • After a nit hatches, the second stage of life, or the nymph stage, also takes about 7-10 days.
  • The nymph typically molts 3 times before reaching its adult form.