Lac is the only known natural resin of animal origin. It is the secretion of a tiny insect known asKerriar lacca(formally calledLaceifer lacca).The lac-forming tiny insect grows on some types of trees, mostly abundant in tropical countries, including India. The secretion of the lac insect hardens in air and forms a covering on the body of the insect. This covering or the nest forms a continuous incrustation on the branches of the host trees. Lac is collected by scraping the incrustation from the branches of the trees.