''Kerriidae'' is a family of
scale insects
Scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, suborder Sternorrhyncha. Of dramatically variable appearance and extreme sexual dimorphism, they comprise the infraorder Coccomorpha which is considered a more convenient grouping than the ...
, commonly known as lac insects or lac scales. Some members of the genera ''Metatachardia'', ''Tachardiella'', ''Austrotacharidia'', ''Afrotachardina'', ''Tachardina'', and ''Kerria'' are raised for commercial purposes, though the most commonly cultivated species is ''
Kerria lacca
''Kerria lacca'' is a species of insect in the family Kerriidae, the lac insects. These are in the superfamily scale insect, Coccoidea, the scale insects. This species is perhaps the most commercially important lac insect, being a main source of ...
''. These insects secrete a waxy
resin
A resin is a solid or highly viscous liquid that can be converted into a polymer. Resins may be biological or synthetic in origin, but are typically harvested from plants. Resins are mixtures of organic compounds, predominantly terpenes. Commo ...
that is harvested and converted commercially into
lac
Lac may refer to:
Places Africa
* Lac Region, a district in Chad
* Lac Prefecture, a district in Chad
America
* Rivière du Lac, a tributary of the Montmorency River, in Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, Canada
Europe
* Laç, a city in Albania
* Lac ...
and
shellac
Shellac () is a resin secreted by the female Kerria lacca, lac bug on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. Chemically, it is mainly composed of aleuritic acid, jalaric acid, shellolic acid, and other natural waxes. It is processed and s ...
, used in various
dye
Juan de Guillebon, better known by his stage name DyE, is a French musician. He is known for the music video of the single "Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical ele ...
s, cosmetics,
food glazes, wood finishing
varnish
Varnish is a clear Transparency (optics), transparent hard protective coating or film. It is not to be confused with wood stain. It usually has a yellowish shade due to the manufacturing process and materials used, but it may also be pigmente ...
es and polishes.
Species include:
*''
Kerria lacca
''Kerria lacca'' is a species of insect in the family Kerriidae, the lac insects. These are in the superfamily scale insect, Coccoidea, the scale insects. This species is perhaps the most commercially important lac insect, being a main source of ...
'' – true lac scale
*''
Paratachardina decorella'' – rosette lac scale
*''
Paratachardina pseudolobata
''Paratachardina pseudolobata'', the lobate lac scale, is a polyphagous and pestiferous lac scale insect, which damages trees and woody shrubs in Cuba, Florida, the Bahamas and the Australian territory of Christmas Island. It was mistakenly ...
'' – lobate lac scale
See also
*
Shellac
Shellac () is a resin secreted by the female Kerria lacca, lac bug on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. Chemically, it is mainly composed of aleuritic acid, jalaric acid, shellolic acid, and other natural waxes. It is processed and s ...
*
Lac (resin)
Lac is the resinous secretion of a number of species of Kerriidae, lac insects, of which the most commonly cultivated is ''Kerria lacca''.
Cultivation begins when a farmer gets a stick that contains eggs ready to hatch and ties it to the tree to ...
References
*
External links
*
*
Taxonomy
Scale insects
Hemiptera families
Neococcoids
{{Coccoidea-stub