How Quickly Do Head Lice Move?

Lice are small parasitic insects that live in the head. Adult lice are about the size of a sesame seed and are tan or grayish white. They hatch from eggs that are found in the nit shell near the scalp and live for about thirty days. Lice will feed on human blood several times a day, but they cannot live too far away from the scalp.

Lice can spread quickly in the same house, so treating your child as soon as you notice signs of head lice is important. Try to avoid head-to-head contact at school and at home. Make sure to check all children who have come in contact with someone who has head lice. To treat your child, try to remove any nits from close to the scalp.

Adult lice lay about 100 to 200 eggs during their lifetime. Lice eggs take six to nine days to hatch, and they need the warmth of the scalp to incubate properly. If the eggs fall out during incubation, they will most likely die before they hatch. Baby lice, also known as nymphs, are tiny, pinhead-sized lice that crawl up your scalp and feed on your blood daily. The nymphs first molt about two days after hatching, and a second molt takes about five days.

The fastest way to detect a lice infestation is by looking at the head. A single adult louse can cause an infestation within a month. However, in some cases, the adult louse can leave your child’s head and lay two eggs. If your child has a head lice infection, it is important to treat them as soon as possible.