Question: Can lice jump, fly, or hop?
Answer: Absolutely not. The only mode of movement for lice is crawling.

Question: Can you catch lice from objects such as furniture, pillows, and carpeting?
Answer: Yes, it is possible to contract head lice from objects if an infected individual has left behind a louse. However, lice can only live for a period of a few days without the presence of a human host.

Question: Can lice be transmitted from a pool, lake, or pond?
Answer: When submerged into water, lice take on a suspended state of activity. The lice hold on tightly with their claws for life, but do not drown. Transmission is then possible by the sharing of towels, clothing, or other personal items.

Question: Is my pet at risk for lice contraction?
Answer: Lice are species specific creatures. Therefore, if a human has lice, that infestation can not be given to any pet. If your pet has an infestation with lice, that infestation can not be given to any human.

Question: Is there a way to tell if the nits are dead or alive?
Answer: Nits that are alive will appear pale white in color. Dead nits are commonly brown. However, all nits should be removed as a precaution.

Question: How long can an adult louse survive without a human host?
Answer: A healthy adult louse can survive for days without a human host.

Question: Why does it seem that head lice infestations occur overnight?
Answer: Head lice have the ability to move quickly and have a relatively short reproductive cycle in addition to the fact that lice are tiny and difficult to see without really looking. Symptoms typically do not occur for several days.

Question: How long can a nit survive without a human host?
Answer: Nits commonly take 7-10 days to hatch. Upon hatching, the nit will require nourishment (food in the form of blood) from its human host within the first couple hours for survival.

Question: Do lice carry diseases?
Answer: Yes, lice can carry certain diseases. However, this is uncommon in the United States, and lice rarely cause symptoms other than itching and rashes.

Question: Do home methods such as Vaseline, mayonnaise, and olive oil work as a treatment method?
Answer: If used in the correct manner, these can serve to be effective treatment methods. All of the above are capable of suffocating the lice and the nits. Olive oil is considered to be the safest and most effective.

Question: Will head lice wash off with just the use of soap and water?
Answer: No, this will not treat a head lice infestation.

Question: Did I get lice because my hair is not clean?
Answer: No, head lice do not have a preference for a clean scalp versus a dirty scalp.

Question: Is it advisable to cut long hair if there is an infestation presence.
Answer: It is not usually recommended that hair usually be cut. It can be necessary if the infestation worsens even with treatment methods. However, this should not be a first option.

Licenex – Get rid of head lice and nits with no harmful chemicals.

Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/Ncidod/dpd/parasites/lice/default.htm
http://children.webmd.com/tc/lice-prevention