Is Shellac Really Made from Insects

Q: Is shellac really made from insects?

A: Shellac wood finish is made from a resin secreted by the female lac bug, on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. Shellac is scraped from the bark of the trees to be processed and sold as dry flakes which are then dissolved in ethanol to make liquid shellac. The liquid shellac is used as a brush-on colorant and wood finish, functioning as a sanding sealant, tannin-blocker, odor-blocker, stain and high-gloss varnish.