What are Head Lice?

Head lice are parasite insects that feed, live and breed on the human head. They feed off the scalp and lay their eggs on the shaft of the hair. Head lice and their eggs are sometimes referred to as nits. They are extremely easy to spread by head to head contact. Head lice can not fly or jump.

Head lice can be brown, cream or white, and in some cases, even transparent. As you can see from the picture below, they have six legs, a small head, and big body.

It can be hard to see the lice and eggs in your hair, so using a magnifying glass can make it easier. Check around the neck and ears, as this seems to be where most of the eggs are laid.

The lice themselves are quite active and can be seen moving around the scalp, while the eggs are firmly stuck to the hair shaft.