Head lice are not considered one of the "traditional" pests but ask anyone who’s had to deal with lice and they’ll tell you head lice are definitely pests.

Just like trying to control a flea infestation, it can be helpful to understand the life cycle of a head louse. There are three stages to the head lice life cycle:

1. Eggs – Eggs from louse are often called nits and can be mistaken for dandruff because of their size and color. Nits can be found near the scalp at the base of the hair; they like the warmth. Louse eggs can take six to nine days to hatch.
2. Nymphs – A nymph is the result of a hatched louse egg; they’re about the size of a pin head. Nymphs remain at that stage for seven days and will go through three molts during those seven days.
3. Adults – Adult lice have six legs are about the size of a sesame seed; they can live on a human head for about a month.

Lice can only live for a day or two without a meal, but it is important to treat your home for lice while treating yourself or kids. Oh, and don’t worry about Fifi and Fido; lice are species specific and head lice aren’t particularly interested in your dog or cat. Here are some basic steps to get a good handle on your lice infestation:

Wash – According to the CDC, lice are killed after being exposed for five minutes to temperatures higher than 128°F…so wash and dry appropriate articles on high heat. Here are some common items to wash:

• clothing 
• bedding 
• hats (don’t forget the ball caps) 
• scarves
• stuffed animals

Combs and brushes can be soaked and washed on a daily basis with soapy hot water while you still have an infestation.

If something cannot be washed, can it be dry cleaned?

Freeze – Freezing can be a great alternative to washing items (lice should be dead after 10  hours in a freezer at 5°F or below, according to the CDC); sealing items in a bag for two weeks is another option…here are some items commonly treated by freezing:

• headphones
• helmets
• head bands, hair ribbons, etc…

Vacuum – This is great mechanical way to physically remove the lice…you may want to toss the bag or dump out your vacuum’s canister after sweeping. Try vacuuming these areas:

• carpets
• floors
• furniture
• cribs
• mattresses
• car seats, floors, etc..

Head lice are more of a nuisance than a health hazard; they are not known to transmit diseases or bacteria.

{Photo Credit (louse life cycle): CDC}

Related posts:

1. 10 Facts About Fleas That May Help You Control Them Fleas are pests that are seen throughout the entire country...
2. Carpet Beetles of California We’ve talked about a lot of pests on this blog...
3. Prevent Rodents From Infesting Your Southern California Home No one wants to invite pests into the home...
4. Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite — An Old Wives’ Tale? Yes, bed bugs do exist, they are about 1/5th...
5. Weird Insects: the Cow Ant and other Mutillidae This is the first installment in a series of...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.