Arctic Thrips vs Lac Insect
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Arctic Thrips | Lac Insect |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aptinothrips rufus | Kerria lacca |
| Order | Thysanoptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Thripidae | Kerriidae |
| Size | 0.5-1.5 mm | 1-3 mm |
| Habitat | Tundra & Arctic | Forests |
| Diet | Sap Feeders | Sap Feeders |
| Regions | Arctic and subarctic worldwide, Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, northern Canada | Asia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Arctic Thrips
A tiny, wingless thrips that feeds on grasses in Arctic and subarctic habitats. Its brown body is barely visible without magnification. Populations reproduce parthenogenetically in the Arctic where males are absent.
Did You Know?
This thrips can reproduce without males through parthenogenesis, a useful adaptation in Arctic habitats where finding a mate would be difficult.
Lac Insect
Produces lac resin — the raw material for shellac, used in wood finishes, food glazing, and pharmaceutical coatings. One of the few insects commercially farmed for a secretion.
Did You Know?
It takes roughly 300,000 lac insects to produce 1 kg of shellac — the coating on your shiny chocolate candy or pharmaceutical pill likely came from these tiny bugs.