Head louse

The head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) is an obligate ectoparasite of humans that causes pediculosis capitis. Head lice are wingless insects spending their entire life on the human scalp and feeding exclusively on human blood.Humans are the only known hosts of this specific parasite, while chimpanzees host a closely related species, Pediculus schaeffi. Other species of lice infest most orders of mammals and all orders of birds, as well as other parts of the human body.

Lice differ from other hematophagic ectoparasites such as fleas in spending their entire life cycle on a host. Head lice cannot fly, and their short stumpy legs render them incapable of jumping, or even walking efficiently on flat surfaces.

The non-disease-carrying head louse differs from the related disease-carrying body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus) in preferring to attach eggs to scalp hair rather than to clothing. The two subspecies are morphologically almost identical but do not normally interbreed, although they will do so in laboratory conditions. From genetic studies, they are thought to have diverged as subspecies about 30,000–110,000 years ago, when many humans began to wear a significant amount of clothing. A much more distantly related species of hair-clinging louse, the pubic or crab louse (Pthirus pubis), also infests humans. It is visually different from the other two species and is much closer in appearance to the lice which infest other primates. Lice infestation of any part of the body is known as pediculosis.

Nits (band)

Nits (until 1992 The Nits) are a Dutch pop group, founded in 1974. Their musical style has varied considerably over the years, as has their line-up with the core of Henk Hofstede (the group's lead singer and lyricist), Rob Kloet, drummer, Robert Jan Stips (Supersister, Gruppo Sportivo, Golden Earring), keyboards.

Their biggest hit in the Netherlands was "Nescio" (1983), a tribute to the Dutch author Jan Hendrik Frederik Grönloh. The major hit that brought the band to the attention of an international audience was "In the Dutch Mountains" (1987). Other well-known NITS-songs include J.O.S. Days, Adieu Sweet Bahnhof and Sketches Of Spain. Top 10 albums include Omsk (1983), In The Dutch Mountains (1987), URK (1989), Doing The Dishes (2008) and Hotel Europa (2015).

History

The Nits originally consisted of Henk Hofstede (vocals, guitar), Alex Roelofs (bass), Michiel Pieters, (guitar) and Rob Kloet (drums). Influenced by British pop music, especially the Beatles, they also incorporated influences from new wave music into their sound. They made their live debut in 1977 and the following year released a self-financed limited-run LP, The Nits. This brought them to the attention of Columbia Records, for whom The Nits would continue to record for the next 22 years. Their major-label debut, Tent, carried on the new wave style of The Nits, but was considerably more polished, partly due to the influence of producer Robert Jan Stips. Two more albums, with an increasing use of synthesiser, were issued before Stips joined the group full-time, replacing Roelofs for Omsk (1983).