Lice - Sheep

Bovicola ovis

Scientific Classification

Class	Insecta
Order	Phthiraptera
Suborder	Ischnocera
Family	Trichodectidae

Identification

Bovicola ovis is a chewing lice around 3mm in length. It is reddish brown in colour, and has a single claw on each of its tarsi.

Life Cycle

The female produces white eggs which can readily be seen by the naked eye. The female can produce a large amount of eggs in a short period of time, so the infection can become severe very quickly. The egg hatches into a nymph, which then undergoes two further transformations at 5-9 day intervals before eventually transforming into an adult.

The complete cycle takes around 2-3 weeks, and the adults are capable of living and reproducing for up to a month.

Linognathus ovillus

Scientific Classification

Class	Insecta
Order	Phthiraptera
Suborder	Anoplura
Family	Linognathidae

Identification

Linognathus ovillus is a sucking louse, also known as the 'sheep face louse' It is a dark blue louse, with a long, thin body.

The eggs are dark blue, and are not easily seen on the hair by the naked eye.

Life Cycle

The eggs generally hatch into nymps within 2 weeks, and must undergo three further transformations before becoming mature adults. The complete cycle from an egg to an adult usually takes around 30 days.

Linognathus pedalis

Scientific Classification

Class	Insecta
Order	Phthiraptera
Suborder	Anoplura
Family	Linognathidae

Identification

Linognathus pedalis is a sucking louse, also known as 'sheep foot louse'. The adults are blue and are around 2mm in length. The forelimbs are smaller than both the midlimbs and hindlimbs.

Life Cycle

See L. ovillus.