Reproduction
Adult head lice reproduce sexually, and copulation is necessary for the female to produce fertile eggs. Parthenogenesis, the production of viable offspring by virgin females, does not occur in Pediculus humanus. Pairing can begin within the first 10 hours of adult life. After 24 hours, adult lice copulate frequently, with mating occurring during any period of the night or day. Mating attachment frequently lasts more than an hour. Young males can successfully pair with older females, and vice versa.
Experiments with Pediculus humanus humanus (body lice) emphasize the attendant hazards of lice copulation. A single young female confined with six or more males will die in a few days, having laid very few eggs. Similarly, death of a virgin female was reported after admitting a male to her confinement. The female laid only one egg after mating, and her entire body was tinged with red—a condition attributed to rupture of the alimentary canal during the sexual act. Old females frequently die following, if not during, intercourse. Lice are wingless bugs that range in size from as small as a pencil point to the size of a small ant. (2mm to 4mm) Lice and nits can range in color from tan to dark brown. They do not jump or fly, they only crawl. Lice have 6 legs with claws at the end designed to cling to the hair shaft and they are masters at hiding. An adult female louse can lay 3-5 waterproof, hard to remove nits 2 times a day. They do not burrow and they must be on a human head in order to survive. Nits, once removed from the head are harmless.
Females lay about three to four eggs daily. During its lifespan of four weeks a female louse lays 50–150 eggs (nits).
Read more about this topic: Head Louse
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