Lac Insect vs Three-Horned Treehopper
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Lac Insect | Three-Horned Treehopper |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Kerria lacca | Ceresa taurina |
| Order | Hemiptera | Hemiptera |
| Family | Kerriidae | Membracidae |
| Size | 1-3 mm | 8-10 mm |
| Habitat | Forests | Gardens |
| Diet | Sap Feeders | Fruit Feeders |
| Regions | Asia | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
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.
Three-Horned Treehopper
A green treehopper with three pointed pronotal horns giving it a distinctive crown-like silhouette. It is a minor pest of various ornamental and fruit trees in North America.
Did You Know?
Females cut slits in bark to lay eggs, and these oviposition scars can damage young fruit tree branches, occasionally causing economic losses in nurseries.