The Cochineal (cochinilla) insect that feeds on cactus needs crushing to obtain the natural red dye. Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico. Apr 2019

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Cochineal, nocheztli (or cactus blood) in Nahuatl, is a parasitic insect that lives on the nopal de Castilla cactus and contains carminic acid, the famous red dye, to protect itself from other insects. With a few drops of limón the color changes miraculously into a bright orange and in combination with lime water it turns into purple. There are two species of cochineal: wild cochineal and domesticated cochineal. The latter produces more red dye, has visible scales and produces less cotton-like material, which protects them from the rays of the sun. Source:

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Size: 5694px × 3801px
Location: Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca State, Mexico
Photo credit: © Ida Pap / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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