Great Spruce Bark Beetle vs Lac Insect

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Great Spruce Bark Beetle Lac Insect
Scientific Name Dendroctonus micans Kerria lacca
Order Coleoptera Hemiptera
Family Curculionidae (Scolytinae) Kerriidae
Size 6–9 mm 1-3 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Wood Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Europe, Western Asia Asia
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Great Spruce Bark Beetle

The largest European bark beetle, attacking living spruce trees. Unlike most bark beetles, it does not use aggregation pheromones for mass attack.

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Did You Know?

It is biologically controlled by the specialist predatory beetle Rhizophagus grandis, which feeds only on its larvae.

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.

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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.