Head louse (likely nit/empty egg case)

Lives exclusively on human scalp hair, especially near the scalp where warmth and blood access are available. Eggs are cemented to individual hairs.

Adults feed several times daily on small amounts of human blood by piercing the scalp.

Wingless, flattened insects that crawl rather than jump or fly. Eggs hatch in roughly 7–10 days, and immature lice mature through three molts over about 1–2 weeks.

Causes scalp itching, irritation, and sometimes secondary infection from scratching; head lice do not generally transmit disease. Identification from this image is limited, and dandruff or hair-product residue can resemble a nit.