How do lice attack? - briefly
Lice detect a host through heat and carbon‑dioxide cues, grip hair with their claws, and insert a needle‑like mouthpart to pierce the skin, inject anticoagulant saliva, and draw blood. This feeding activity leads to itching and potential secondary infection.
How do lice attack? - in detail
Lice locate a suitable host by sensing body heat, carbon‑dioxide, and movement. Adult females move rapidly across the scalp or body surface, using their claws to grasp hair shafts or clothing fibers. Once positioned, they insert their mouthparts into the skin or feather to draw blood. Feeding lasts from a few minutes to an hour, during which the insect injects saliva containing anticoagulants that prevent clotting.
After a blood meal, a female produces eggs, known as nits, which she secures to the host’s hair or fur with a cement‑like secretion. Each egg is placed close to the skin, ensuring optimal temperature for development. The incubation period ranges from 7 to 10 days, after which the nymph hatches and immediately begins feeding. Nymphs undergo three molts, each requiring a blood meal, before reaching reproductive maturity in about three weeks.
Key steps in the infestation process:
- Host detection: thermal and chemical cues guide the insect to a living organism.
- Attachment: claws grip hair or fibers, positioning the mouthparts.
- Feeding: saliva anticoagulants facilitate continuous blood intake.
- Reproduction: cemented eggs are laid near the skin surface.
- Development: eggs hatch, nymphs feed, molt, and mature rapidly.
Environmental factors such as crowding, poor hygiene, and warm, humid conditions accelerate transmission. Direct contact between individuals enables lice to move from one host to another, while fomites like combs, hats, or bedding can carry nits and facilitate spread. Effective control requires prompt removal of live insects and eggs, combined with treatment of all potential vectors.