Life cycle of a louse

Ever wandered what the lice get up to while they're living on your head? Well, brace yourself, here's the hair-raising time line:

• Egg laid on hair shaft

• Louse hatches after 7 days

• 1st Nymph - youngest stage sheds it’s skin for the first time, 2 days after hatching

• 2nd Nymph - The second time the louse sheds it’s skin (3 days later)

• 3rd Nymph - The last time the louse sheds its skin before becoming an adult (8-9 days after hatching)

• Female (slightly larger) and Male lice begin to reproduce

• Female lays first eggs 2 days after mating. 4 to 8 eggs are laid for the next 16 days.

• Adult louse dies 33 - 35 days after being laid as an egg

This article was published on Tue 1 September 2009