Cactus Dye Bug

The cochineal (/ ˌkɒtʃɪˈniːl, ˈkɒtʃɪniːl / KOTCH-in-EEL, -eel, US also / ˌkoʊtʃɪˈniːl, ˈkoʊtʃɪniːl / KOH-chin-EEL, -eel; [1] Dactylopius coccus) is a scale insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, from which the natural dye carmine is derived. A primarily sessile parasite native to tropical and subtropical South America through North America (Mexico and the Southwest. Cochineal, red dyestuff consisting of the dried, pulverized bodies of certain female scale insects, Dactylopius coccus, of the Coccidae family, cactus-eating insects native to tropical and subtropical America.

Cochineal is used to produce scarlet, crimson, orange, and other tints and to prepare. Prickly Pear Cactus, Opuntia phaecantha Cochineal insects feed on virtually any of the more than 200 species of prickly pear cacti. This glass model, made by glass artist Rudolf and Leopold Blaschka, depicts one such species, Opuntia phaeacantha.

Long before lab-made colors, cactus bugs put the red in 'redcoats' "It takes more than 30,000 insects to make one pound of this pigment powder." - Jon Zawislak By Mary Hightower U of A System Division of Agriculture Feb, 3, 2025 Fast facts: Cactus parasite was used to make carmine Carmine put the red in British Redcoats (776 words) (Newsrooms: with image of Zawislak; art of toy. Scientists Are Making Cochineal, a Red Dye From Bugs, in the Lab Used to color foods and cosmetics, carminic acid is traditionally 'farmed' from an insect. But researchers are moving to.

The Cochineal Cactus Plant, or Opuntia, offers more than its rugged desert beauty. Surprisingly, it serves as the source of a vibrant red dye, thanks to the tiny cochineal insects inhabiting it. These insects, often confused with red dye beetles, belong to the scale insect family and produce carminic acid, the core ingredient for cochineal dye.

Prickly pear cactus with cochineal. Image courtesy Wikimedia. Cochineal dye was once one of the most important colorants in the world.

Hundreds of tons of it were exported from the New World for use throughout Europe, yet now, in today's age, it would be rare for someone to even know what "cochineal" is. So, what is cochineal? Cochineal insects (Dactylopius coccus) are related to aphids, scale insects and mealy bugs, formerly in the insect order Homoptera.

According to evidence from DNA sequencing, they are now placed in the large order Hemiptera with true bugs. They live on species of prickly-pear cactus (Opuntia), especially the mission prickly-pear (Opuntia ficus-indica), a large, thicket. A close-up of cochineal on a cactus pad.

The economic impact of cochineal on the world has been and continues to be without question significant. From the 16 th century until the mid 19 th century discovery of aniline dyes, cochineal was the leading red dye over lac, kermes, and others. Smushed cochineal insects, revealing the bright red they're known for.

Thousands of years ago, Mesoamericans discovered the insect on prickly pear cactus paddles and began to cultivate and harvest them do use as dyes for textiles or painting houses. "It takes about 70,000 dried insects to make 1 pound of dye," Brown said.