What do lice eggs and nits look like? - briefly
Lice eggs are tiny, oval‑shaped, about 0.8 mm long, translucent to white‑yellow, and firmly glued to the base of a hair shaft. Nits refer to these attached eggs; they appear as smooth, creamy‑white or brownish specks that remain immobile on the hair.
What do lice eggs and nits look like? - in detail
Lice ova are oval, measuring approximately 0.8 mm in length and 0.3 mm in width. The shell, called a nit, is translucent to whitish‑gray when freshly laid and gradually darkens to a yellow‑brown hue as the embryo develops. The surface appears smooth and glossy, lacking visible ridges. A single nit is attached to a single hair shaft by a cement‑like secretion that hardens within a few hours, forming a firm, angled bond that resists removal.
Key visual markers:
- Shape: elongated oval, slightly pointed at one end where the operculum (cap) is located.
- Size: 0.5–1 mm long; comparable to the tip of a pin.
- Color progression: clear → pale gray → yellow‑brown → dark brown (pre‑hatch).
- Attachment angle: typically 30–45° from the hair shaft, positioned close to the scalp where temperature is optimal.
- Texture: smooth, glossy coating; no visible striations.
- Operculum: small, dome‑shaped opening at one pole, sometimes visible as a tiny dot.
Distinguishing head‑lice nits from body‑lice eggs:
- Placement: head‑lice nits cling to hair near the scalp; body‑lice eggs attach to clothing fibers, often near seams.
- Color shift: body‑lice eggs tend to retain a lighter, more uniform shade because they are not exposed to scalp heat.
- Size difference: body‑lice eggs are marginally larger, up to 1.2 mm, and may appear more rounded.
When examined under magnification, the embryo becomes visible as a dark, elongated silhouette within the nit. The presence of a visible operculum and the characteristic attachment angle are reliable indicators for identification.