How many lice are in one nit? - briefly
A nit is the egg of a louse and holds a single developing louse. Consequently, each nit contains exactly one louse.
How many lice are in one nit? - in detail
A nit is the egg stage of a head‑lice (Pediculus humanus capitis). Each egg is laid by an adult female and contains a single developing louse. Inside the protective shell, the embryo undergoes embryogenesis for about 7–10 days before hatching. Consequently, the count of lice per egg is one.
Key points:
- Egg morphology: oval, 0.8 mm long, attached to hair shafts with a cement‑like substance.
- Developmental timeline: incubation 7–10 days, then nymph emerges and begins feeding.
- Reproductive capacity: a female can lay 5–10 eggs per day, but each egg yields only one individual.
Therefore, the precise answer is that a single nit harbors exactly one lice.