Shellac is actually chemical secreted by female lac bugs (laccifer laccu) a typ of scale insect in order to from sheltering tunnels as they travel along the outside of trees it is extracted for industrial use be scraping bark bugs of the tunnel of the trees in Asian forests and into canvas tubes The tubes are then heated over of flame until shellac melts and seeps outside of the canvas,after which it is dried into flakes for sale before use in food or as varnish,the shellac must be re-dissolved in denatured alcohol