This insect is found in India and Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand , Malaysia , Cambodia , Laos , and Indonesia . These insects are not bound to a specific host plant, but rather settle on quite different varieties. The wingless, fertilized females settle on young twigs of the plant and begin to suck the sap. They secrete a resin-like material that eventually covers the whole colony and forms a mass around the twigs that encloses the insects, which contain the dyestuffs. These twigs are gathered and treated. The crusty mass contains two groups of useful substances: red dyestuffs for dyeing and resin for shellac for furniture and other items.
