What Is the Life Cycle of Human Lice?
Human lice develop from an egg to an adult via a process of “gradual metamorphosis.” This means the last larval stage develops directly into an adult without passing through a non-feeding pupal stage. Human lice have three larval stages, and each requires a blood meal before molting into the next life cycle stage. Both adult males and females feed on blood and take repeated blood meals about every 4-8 hours during their lives. Females require blood meals for the development of eggs, which commonly are known as “nits.” All life cycle stages of human lice require a live human host on which to develop. Larvae and adults typically die within a day or two if they fall off a host because they require the temperature and relatively high humidity provided by the human body. Female head lice and pubic lice glue their eggs onto the base of hairs of their host. In contrast, female body lice glue their eggs primarily onto fibers of clothing worn by an infested person, but on occasion glue them ont
