ClipArt ETC
"Cochineal or Nopal Cactus and Cochineal Insect." — Chambers' Encyclopedia, 1875

Cochineal

"Cochineal or Nopal Cactus and Cochineal Insect." — Chambers' Encyclopedia, 1875

An illustration of Cochineal living on cactus. Cochineal is the name of both crimson or carmine dye and the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus), a scale insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, from which the dye is derived. This type of insect, a primarily sessile parasite, lives on cacti from the genus Opuntia, feeding on moisture and nutrients in the cacti. The insect produces carminic acid which deters predation by other insects. Carminic acid can be extracted from the insect's body and eggs to make the dye. Cochineal is primarily used as a food colouring and for cosmetics.

Cochineal

An illustration of Cochineal living on cactus. Cochineal is the name of both crimson or carmine dye…

An illustration of a female Cochineal. Cochineal is the name of both crimson or carmine dye and the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus), a scale insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, from which the dye is derived. This type of insect, a primarily sessile parasite, lives on cacti from the genus Opuntia, feeding on moisture and nutrients in the cacti. The insect produces carminic acid which deters predation by other insects. Carminic acid can be extracted from the insect's body and eggs to make the dye. Cochineal is primarily used as a food colouring and for cosmetics.

Cochineal (Female)

An illustration of a female Cochineal. Cochineal is the name of both crimson or carmine dye and the…

An illustration of a male Cochineal. Cochineal is the name of both crimson or carmine dye and the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus), a scale insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, from which the dye is derived. This type of insect, a primarily sessile parasite, lives on cacti from the genus Opuntia, feeding on moisture and nutrients in the cacti. The insect produces carminic acid which deters predation by other insects. Carminic acid can be extracted from the insect's body and eggs to make the dye. Cochineal is primarily used as a food colouring and for cosmetics.

Cochineal (Male)

An illustration of a male Cochineal. Cochineal is the name of both crimson or carmine dye and the cochineal…

"Cochineal is a dye-stuff employed in dyeing scarlet and crimson; consists of the bodies of the femals of a species of coccus, which feeds upon plants of the cactus family. The cochineal insect is a small creature, a pound of cochineal being calculated to contain 70,000 in a dried state."—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Female Cochineal Insect

"Cochineal is a dye-stuff employed in dyeing scarlet and crimson; consists of the bodies of the femals…

"Cochineal is a dye-stuff employed in dyeing scarlet and crimson; consists of the bodies of the femals of a species of coccus, which feeds upon plants of the cactus family. The cochineal insect is a small creature, a pound of cochineal being calculated to contain 70,000 in a dried state."—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Male Cochineal Insect

"Cochineal is a dye-stuff employed in dyeing scarlet and crimson; consists of the bodies of the femals…