Question

Find out.
(1) How is lac obtained from nature?
(2) How are pearls obtained?

Answer 1

a. Lac is a natural resin and is a product of animal origin. It is secreted by an insect, known as lac-insect. In order to obtain lac, these insects are cultured and the technique is called lac-culture. Lac culture requires proper care of host plants, regular pruning of host plants, propagation, collection and processing of lac. The lac insect lives as a parasite, feeding on the sap of certain trees and shrubs. Lac secretion begins as soon as the larva of the insect settles on the plant. Intially, lac has a shining appearance but later on it turns harder on coming in contact wih air.
This lac is then collected and used for making jewellery etc.


b. Pearls are precious jewels and the only gems created by a living animal. They are formed when a microscopic foreign object finds its way inside a mussel or oyster.

The animal coats the object with a substance called nacre. With time, several layers of nacre build up over the foreign material thus leading to the formation of a pearl. These oyesters/mussels are collectd from the sea and opened to collect these pearls.