WHAT ARE HEAD LICE & NITS?
Head lice are six legged parasitic insects that infect the head. They spread by laying eggs and crawling (they cannot hop, jump or fly). Head lice are clear in color when hatched and develop a reddish brown color after feeding. These sesame seed size creatures live by biting the scalp and sucking blood. Pets do not get head lice. Head lice live for approximately 30 days on a host (person). Off the host, they can only survive about 24 hours. The female louse may lay up to 100 nits (eggs). They are small, yellow-white oval shaped eggs that are “glued” at an angle to the side of a hair shaft. They take 7-10 days for the nits to hatch and another 7-10 days for a female to mature and begin laying her own eggs. WHO CAN GET HEAD LICE? Anyone can get head lice. Head lice are found on all types of people and having them is not a reflection on cleanliness. They are easily spread by people sharing combs, putting heads together, wrestling, putting an infested piece of clothing on, or the “common h
Head lice are six legged parasitic insects that infect the head. They spread by laying eggs and crawling (they cannot hop, jump or fly). Head lice are clear in color when hatched and develop a reddish brown color after feeding. These sesame seed size creatures live by biting the scalp and sucking blood. Pets do not get head lice. Head lice live for approximately 30 days on a host (person). Off the host, they can only survive about 24 hours. The female louse may lay up to 100 nits (eggs). They are small, yellow-white oval shaped eggs that are “glued” at an angle to the side of a hair shaft. They take 7-10 days for the nits to hatch and another 7-10 days for a female to mature and begin laying her own eggs. WHO CAN GET HEAD LICE? Anyone can get head lice. Head lice are found on all types of people and having them is not a reflection on cleanliness. They are easily spread by people sharing combs, putting heads together, wrestling, putting an infested piece of clothing on, or the “common h
