How long does it take a louse to lay eggs? - briefly
A female head louse starts laying eggs approximately three to five days after reaching the adult stage, typically depositing one egg every 1–2 days. The full batch of 5–10 eggs is usually completed within about a week.
How long does it take a louse to lay eggs? - in detail
A female head louse reaches sexual maturity within 7–10 days after hatching. Once the adult stage is attained, the first oviposition occurs roughly 2–3 days later, provided the insect has obtained a blood meal. The interval between successive eggs is about 12–24 hours, allowing the female to deposit 5–10 eggs each day. Egg‑laying continues for approximately 30 days, after which the adult’s reproductive output declines and mortality rises. In total, a single female can produce between 100 and 150 eggs over her lifespan.
Factors influencing the timing include ambient temperature and host availability. At temperatures of 30 °C (86 °F), development accelerates, shortening the pre‑egg‑laying period to about 6 days, whereas cooler conditions (20 °C/68 °F) may extend it to 12 days. Consistent access to a human host is essential; deprivation of blood meals can delay or halt oviposition entirely.
Body lice follow a similar schedule but exhibit a slightly longer maturation phase, typically 9–12 days, and commence egg production 3–4 days after adulthood. Their daily egg output averages 4–6, with a reproductive span of 25–35 days, yielding a total of 80–120 eggs per female.
In summary, adult female lice begin laying eggs within a few days of reaching maturity, continue daily egg deposition for about one month, and generate a total egg count that can exceed a hundred under optimal conditions.