A symbiotic relationship with fungi gives lac insects their crimson hue, finds IISc study

Dried Lac Dye and clothes being dyed using Lac dye

The study from IISc found a previously unidentified yeast-like symbiont inside the lac insect Kerria lacca, which gives the insect its distinctive red colour and, may also provide other nutrients in return for shelter.

Bengaluru/ Jun 17, 2025

Neelanjana Bandyopadhyay

Neelanjana Bandyopadhyay has a PhD degree in Biochemistry from the University of Manchester, UK. She takes keen interest in science education and believes in going beyond textbooks for teaching. Presently, she runs “WonderScience” where she teaches science to children through hands-on experiments.

Twitter Username

Neelanjana Bandyopadhyay

@sciresmatters

Search Research Matters