What do lice look like in a bed? - briefly
In bedding, head lice are tiny, tan‑to‑gray insects roughly the size of a sesame seed, with a flattened body and six legs. Their eggs cling to sheets and pillows as small, white or yellowish, angled ovals.
What do lice look like in a bed? - in detail
Lice that infest a sleeping surface are small, wingless insects about 2–4 mm long. Their bodies are oval and flattened, allowing them to move easily through fabric fibers. The exoskeleton is typically a gray‑brown hue, which may appear lighter after a blood meal. Six legs extend from the thorax; each leg ends in a claw that grips threads and seams.
Key visual indicators in bedding include:
- Live adults: Mobile, translucent to brownish, often seen crawling on sheets, pillowcases, or mattress edges.
- Nymphs: Smaller, pale, and less active than adults; they resemble miniature versions of the adult form.
- Nits: Oval, white or yellowish eggs firmly attached to the base of fabric fibers. They are about 0.8 mm in length and remain stuck even after washing, often visible near seams, folds, or the underside of pillowcases.
- Excrement: Dark specks resembling tiny pepper grains, usually found on sheets or mattress covers.
Lice tend to congregate in areas where the host’s skin contacts the fabric, such as the headboard, pillow edges, and the underside of blankets. Their movement is slow but deliberate; they can be observed crawling along seams or climbing threads to reach a host. The combination of live insects, immature stages, attached eggs, and fecal spots provides a comprehensive visual profile of an infestation within a bed.