The Bug Bite Guide

The head louse is a tiny, wingless parasitic insect that lives among human hairs and feeds on extremely small amounts of blood drawn from the scalp.

Lice lay tiny yellowish-brown dots called nits on hair shafts close to the scalp. This is where the temperature is perfect for keeping the lice warm until they hatch. Nits look sort of like dandruff, but can't be removed by brushing or shaking them off.

Lice are a common problem, especially for kids ages 3 years to 12 years (girls more often than boys).

Lice are contagious and can transmit epidemic relapsing fever, caused by spirochetes. Their bites may cause a child's scalp to become itchy and inflamed, and persistent scratching may lead to skin irritation and infection.