How long do moose lice live? - briefly
Adult moose lice usually survive about three weeks. Including egg incubation and several nymphal stages, the entire life cycle lasts roughly two months.
How long do moose lice live? - in detail
Moose lice, belonging to the genus Trichodectes (primarily T. meles), complete their development within a single generation. After hatching, nymphs progress through three instars before reaching adulthood. The total life cycle—from egg deposition on the host’s hair to the death of the adult—lasts approximately 30 to 45 days under typical summer conditions in temperate regions.
Key factors influencing longevity:
- Temperature: Warmer ambient temperatures accelerate development; at 20–25 °C the cycle shortens to about 28 days, whereas cooler conditions (10–15 °C) extend it toward 45 days.
- Host health: Moose in good nutritional condition provide stable blood meals, allowing adults to survive the full reproductive period of roughly 20 days. Malnourished hosts may reduce adult lifespan to 10–12 days due to limited feeding opportunities.
- Seasonality: During winter, lice enter a dormant state (diapause) on the host’s dense winter coat, reducing metabolic activity and extending survival up to 60 days, though reproductive activity ceases until spring.
Reproductive output correlates with adult lifespan. An individual female lays 30–40 eggs over her reproductive phase, depositing them near the hair shaft where they hatch within 3–4 days. Consequently, the population on a single moose can increase rapidly during the warm months, peaking in late summer before declining as temperatures drop.
In summary, the lifespan of moose lice ranges from about one month to two months, contingent on environmental temperature, host condition, and seasonal dormancy.