WHAT ARE LICE?
Lice are wingless, crawling insects that live on a host and feed on blood to survive. Lice are very host specific, and sometimes are site specific, so will be on specific part of the host’s body. Humans are host to 3 kinds of lice – head lice, body lice, and crab lice, each of which inhabits a different region of the body.
louse Lice are small, wingless, grayish-white insects with flattened, elongate bodies and somewhat oval heads. They are about 1/16 to 1/8 inch long. • ARE THERE DIFFERENT KINDS OF HUMAN LICE? There are several species or kinds of lice that feed on people. One species feeds specifically on the head and is called the head louse. • CAN HEAD LICE SURVIVE ON PETS? No, head lice are obligate parasites of humans, i.e., they must feed on humans in order to survive. • HOW LONG DO HEAD LICE LIVE? Lice may live for several weeks on a person, but they rarely live more than 48 hours when removed from a person’s body. • CAN HEAD LICE HOP OR JUMP? No, head lice cannot hop, jump or fly. Their legs are adapted for grasping a person’s hair. • DO HEAD LICE SPREAD DISEASES? No, head lice are not known to transmit any disease agents. However, secondary infections may result if the skin is broken by repeated scratching. • WHAT ARE “NITS”? Nits are louse eggs. They are small (about 1/32 inch), white to cream
Lice are small, wingless, grayish-white insects with flattened, elongate bodies and somewhat oval heads. They are about 1/16 to 1/8 inch long. • ARE THERE DIFFERENT KINDS OF HUMAN LICE? There are several species or kinds of lice that feed on people. One species feeds specifically on the head and is called the head louse. • CAN HEAD LICE SURVIVE ON PETS? No, head lice are obligate parasites of humans, i.e., they must feed on humans in order to survive. • HOW LONG DO HEAD LICE LIVE? Lice may live for several weeks on a person, but they rarely live more than 48 hours when removed from a person’s body. • CAN HEAD LICE HOP OR JUMP? No, head lice cannot hop, jump or fly. Their legs are adapted for grasping a person’s hair. • DO HEAD LICE SPREAD DISEASES? No, head lice are not known to transmit any disease agents. However, secondary infections may result if the skin is broken by repeated scratching. • WHAT ARE “NITS”? Nits are louse eggs. They are small (about 1/32 inch), white to cream color
