Head Lice Facts

Head Lice: Head Lice vary in color from translucent to black and are about the size of a sesame seed. Lice do not jump or fly. They have claws on their six legs, which allow them to move quickly through hair. Female lice can lay up to 8 nits a day and are larger than males.

Nymphs: Nymphs are immature head lice. Nymphs are about the size of a pinhead and look like an adult louse. They must feed on blood to survive and molts 3 times in a week before becoming an adult.

  

Nits: Nits vary in color from clear to brownish-gray and are about 1/2 the size of a sesame seed. They are usually found close to the scalp. Dandruff or hair casts are commonly mistaken for nits but they are irregularly shaped and easily dislodged. Nits are always the same shape and are glued firmly to one side of the hair shaft. They are commonly found around the ears and at the nape of the neck.

 

Try these sites for more information and great pictures:
 http://www.headlice.org/faq/lousology.htm
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/headlice/photos.html