How much time do lice need to lay eggs? - briefly
Egg‑laying begins approximately 6–9 days after a nymph matures, and a female deposits about one egg per day for up to a week.
How much time do lice need to lay eggs? - in detail
Lice reach sexual maturity within 8–10 days after hatching. Once the adult female mates, oviposition begins after a short pre‑oviposition interval of approximately 1–2 days. The female then deposits 5–8 eggs per day, continuing for about 10–12 days before senescence reduces egg production.
Key points of the reproductive timing:
- Emergence to reproductive readiness: 8–10 days post‑nauplius stage.
- Interval before first egg laid: 1–2 days after mating.
- Daily egg output: 5–8 eggs.
- Total oviposition period: roughly 10–12 days, yielding 50–100 eggs per female.
Egg development (nit incubation) requires 7–10 days at typical indoor temperatures (20–25 °C) before hatching into nymphs, which then follow the same lifecycle. The combined duration from adult emergence to the end of egg‑laying activity therefore spans about 19–24 days under optimal conditions.