Bovicola ovis

Also known as:

Damalinia 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.