Seeing Red The Cochineal Scale Insect Food and textiles have been dyed for centuries One particular red dye made from the cochineal scale insect has been used for thousands of years This dye is called cochineal or carmine after the carminic acid the cochineal insect produces to ward off predators Cochineal insects were the first to make a strong vibrant red dye 4
In southern Mexico and Peru the cochineal’s native home carmine dye was used for medicine food cosmetics art and textiles Spanish conquistadors took cochineal-dyed fabric to Europe in 1519 Soon European merchants exported the cochineal-dyed cloth to the Middle East India Africa and the Americas Carmine use expanded and became part of the global trade Cochineals are now harvested mainly in Peru and the Canary Islands on plantations of prickly pear cacti the bugs preferred host 5
All cochineal insects live on the prickly pear cactus The small silver oval insects are about one-third the size of a ladybug They cluster together to drink sap from the cactus pads This diet enables them to produce the red pigment called carmine 6
Male Female It takes 70,000 or more cochineal insects to make one pound.45 kilograms of dye 7
