Life History of Lac Insects

In this article we will discuss about the life history of lac insects.

Classification:

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Hemiptera

Family: Laciferidae

Genus: Tachardia

Species: Lacca

Habit and habitat:

The lac insects have a no. of plants as a hest plant. About 113 varieties of host plants have been described and 14 are very common in India. Kusum, Khair, Babul, Ber Palas and Ghont plants give better quality of lac.

Distribution:

India has its monopoly on the production of lac. Other countries like Africa, Australia, Brazil, Burma, Sri Lanka, China, France, W. Germany, Japan, Malaya and several other countries.

Comments:

1. It is a minute, crawling scale insect which sucks juices from plant twigs and secretes lac from its hind end of the body.

2. Life cycle comprises of eggs, nymphs and adult male & female insects.

3. After fertilization each mature female lays about 200-500 eggs in a cell of lac in which she is enclosed in the month of October & November.

4. After six weeks of incubation, the eggs are hatched into first instar nymphs in the month of November and December.

5. These nymphs emerges out as second instar nymphs in mass called ‘swarms’.

6. After sue to eight weeks numphs metamorphosed into adults.

7. The females get fixed on the host plant & secrets lac till it dies.

Economic Importance:

Lac is a very important material used in making jewelry, paints, varnishes toys, buttons, photographic material, insulating material for electric goods, ship industry, furniture’s office sealing wax and in other things. India produces about 50-60 percent of the total lac output in the world.