This document provides information about lac insects and lac products. It discusses the different species of lac insects, the harvesting periods, how to start lac cultivation by selecting suitable host plants and locations, and the method of propagating lac insects artificially. It also describes the main lac products like lac dye, lac wax, shellac, bleached shellac and dewaxed bleached shellac and their various uses in industries like food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, paints, jewelry etc.

2. Lac Insects

3. Table of Contents
Sr.
No.
Contents Page No.
1. Introduction 4 - 5
2. Lac Insects Species 6
3. Harvesting Period 7
4. How to Start Lac Cultivation 8 - 15
5. Method of Propagation 16 - 18
6. Lac Products and Their Uses 19 -32
6.1 Lac Dye 20 - 21
6.2 Lac Wax 22 - 23
6.3 Shallac 24 - 28
6.4 Blached Shallac 29 - 32

4. Introduction:-
• The term “Lac” derived from the Sanskrit
word “Lakshar” meaning a hundred
thousand and is suggestive of the large
number of insects involved in its
production.
• The description of the insect and its host
plant (Food plant).
• Lac currently produced in India,
Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and

5. Introduction:-
• The art of rearing lac insects on scientific
lines for lac production is called lac culture.
• Lac is a product of lac insect which is only produce
in Indo-Pakistan.
• Previously lac was valued for its dye but after
discovery of synthetic dyes, there is no or less
demand for lac-dye and now it is valued for rosin.
• Resin is used for manufacturing of paints,
varnishes, gramophone records, bangles and ear-
rings etc. Lac is also use to paint the planes and
ships to protect them from water and climate effects.

6. Lac Insects Species
1)Kerria lacca (the true lac scale)
2)Paratachardina decorella (the
rosette lac scale)
3)Paratachardina
pseudolobata (the lobate lac
scale)

7. Harvesting Period
1. Kharif
2. Rabi

8. How to Start Lac Cultivation

9. Locality
• Temperature required for cultivation
is 40-1100F and humidity 40-70%.
• Rainfall must be 30 inches and well
distributed.
• Sub-mountain areas of Punjab are
best locality.
• Salt range, river belts and thick
forests are also good.

10. Lac Host
• 77 plants were tried to rear lac culture but
only 5 were proved suitable and
successful.
• These plants are described below.
1. Zizyphus jujube (Ber)
• This plant produce lac of superior quality.
• Respond to pruning.
• Ber brood lac can be tried on all other

11. 1. Zizyphus jujube (Ber)

12. 2. Ficus (Fig)
• Best specie is Ficus carica.
• Lac produce is light weight and
superior quality.
• It affords protection to brood in
summer.
3. Butia Monosperma (Dhak)
• This host cannot be use is new areas
but it is granted as best host.

13. 2. Ficus (Fig) 3. Butia Monosperma (Dhak)

14. 4. Acacia Arabica (Kiker)
• Inferior quality lac is produce.
• In Hyderabad it is the most
significant host.
5. Albizzia labbek (Siris)
• Inferior quality lac and brood
become specific.

15. 4. Acacia Arabica (Kiker) 5. Albizzia labbek (Siris)

16. Method of Propagation

17. 1. Natural
• Swarming on mother plant
and larvae settle on the
growth of infested branches,
Infection is not uniform.
• This method is not to be
practiced.

18. Artificial
• This method is use under control conditions.
After pruning, 2-3kg of brood is inoculated on
each tree.
• Stick method of inoculation is the quickest and
the most efficacious and economical.
• Healthy branches of infested tress i.e., brood
stick 9-12 inches long or out and tied below the
fresh branches to be inoculated.
• If the branches are parallel, the brood sticks are
tied across these branches.
• On swarming, larvae travel under side of branches.

19. Lac Products and Their Uses

20. 1. Lac Dye
• Lac dye is a mixture of anthroquinoid
derivatives.
• In recent past, lac dye has been
replaced by synthetic dye.
Following are some uses of lac dye.
1) It is traditionally use to color wax and silk.
2) Its color varies between purple red, brown
and orange. It is use in coloring of
beverages.

21. SILK Beverage

22. 2. Lac Wax
• Lac wax is a mixture of higher alcohols,
acids and their esters. It is used in
1) Polishes applied on shoes, floor,
automobiles etc.
2) Lipsticks
3) Crayons
4) Food and confectionary and drug
tables finishing.

24. 3. Shellac
• Shellac is a natural gum resin and it is
used in 100 different industries.
• It is natural, non-toxic, physiologically
harmless and edible resin.
• Shellac is hard, tough, amorphous and
brittle resin containing small amount of
wax and a substance which give pleasant
odor to it.
• Following are some uses of shellac:-

25. 1) It is use in coating fruits, e.g. for citrus
fruits, apple etc.
2) It is as binder for food stuff stamp
inks, e.g. for cheese and eggs.
3) It is use as binder for mascara, nail
varnish, conditioning shampoo.
4) It is use in preparation of toys,
buttons, pottery and artificial leather.
5) It is use commonly as sealing wax.

27. 6) It is use in preparation of
gramophone records.
7) Jewelers and goldsmiths use lac as a
filling material in the hollows in
ornaments.
8) Use in manufacturing of photographic
material.

29. 4. Bleached Shellac
• Bleached shellac is non-toxic,
physiologically harmless, and is widely used
in the food industries, food packaging etc.
Following are the uses:-
• Paints, Wood finishing, Fire work.
• Use in aluminum industry.
• Flexographic printing inks.
• In pharmaceuticals for coating of tablets,
pills and gel caps.

31. 5. Dewaxed Bleached Shellac
It is use in
1)Coating of fruits and vegetables
2)Coating in tablets and capsules
3)Coating in confectionary
4)Coating in aluminum foil, paper
5)Coating in cosmetic industry