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Cochineal Red Gold of The Mixtec

Cochineal Red Gold of The Mixtec. Cochineal Production in Oaxaca By Stefanie Tietz. What is cochineal???. www.bluegurus.com/. Cochineal is a small insect…. Which belongs to: . ..or more specifically. Scientific classification:

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Cochineal Red Gold of The Mixtec

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  1. Cochineal Red Gold of The Mixtec Cochineal Production in Oaxaca By Stefanie Tietz

  2. What is cochineal??? www.bluegurus.com/

  3. Cochineal is a small insect…

  4. Which belongs to:

  5. ..or more specifically • Scientific classification: • Domain: EukaryotaKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ArthropodaClass: InsectaOrder: HomopteraSuperfamily: CoccoideaFamily: DactylopiidaeGenus: DactylopiusSpecies: coccusBinomial name: Dactylopiuscoccuscosta, 1835

  6. It is a parasite on cacti of the genus Opuntia.

  7. The females cluster together on the cactus leaf feeding on its juices http://www.cochinealdye.com/html/biology.html

  8. The male lives only long enough to fertilize the females (Many, many females…) http://www.pestproducts.com/cochineal-bug.htm

  9. Lifecycle • After the eggs hatch, the male nymphs produce a white sticky substance which they use to have the wind blow them to another cactus. • Males will then develop wings in order to be able to find females. • Females crawl to a good spot on the leaf (Usually surrounding their mother)and bite into it where they will stay until laying their eggs after they have been fertilized.

  10. What makes these insects so important? • Females and eggs produce a bitter, astringent chemical substance that is a predator deterrent. • This substance is called carminic acid or carmine. • It is particularly effective against ants. • The pyralid moth (Laetiliacoccidivora) eats cochineal and stores carminic acid in its gut to repel predatory ants.

  11. Carminic Acid

  12. Carminic acid is bright red… Photo credit: Stefanie Tietz

  13. …but you have to crush the bug to get the “juice”… Photo credit: Stefanie Tietz

  14. Cochineal is grown in special farms… Photo credit: Stefanie Tietz

  15. …or get harvested in the wild.

  16. The bugs are collected and dried bugs are ground up… http://hilobrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/MCI-Cochineal-prep.jpg

  17. And then the powder can be stored and used as needed Photo credit : Stefanie Tietz

  18. Cochineal is best for dyeing natural fibers such as wool and silk. http://www.cochinealdye.com/index.html

  19. Which can then be made into textiles or rugs. Photo credit: Stefanie Tietz

  20. An example of different hues (on right) Photo credit: Stefanie Tietz

  21. Cochineal color (Carmine) is • Water- soluble • Resists degradation over time • Light and heat stable • Oxidation-resistant • Generally considered to be more stable than most synthetic dyes. • Neither toxic nor carcinogenic (but can cause anaphylatic shock in allergic individuals)

  22. Because it is non-toxic it can be used as food coloring Photo credit : Stefanie Tietz

  23. As well as in cosmetics

  24. Cochineal • Has been harvested in Mexico since about 1200 BC (In Peru since 1500 BC). • The Mixtec people were valued by the Spanish after the conquest for their skill in cochineal production. • It was highly prized by the Spaniards and in value considered second to silver. • It was used as currency both by indigenous rulers, as well as Spanish conquerors.

  25. Ancient codex showing tribute payments due in cochineal codex Mendoza folio 43

  26. The Mixtec • Nochiztlan was a major Mixtec center and source for cochineal in pre-Hispanic times. The name means “Place of cactus blood”. • Coixtlahuaca: Seat of Mixtec royal power and focus of important manuscripts and maps. (Codices). Mayor trading center for cochineal.

  27. One little bug…So very important in history!

  28. References: • http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/Cochineal/index.htmlhttp://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/Cochineal/index.html • Rodriguez, L.C., Mendez, M.A. Niemeyer, H.M.( 2001)Direction of dispersion of cochineal within the Americas. Antiquity, March, 2001 retrieved from: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3284/is_287_75/ai_n28829906/?tag=content;col1 • http://cool.conservation-us.org/coolaic/sg/bpg/annual/v16/bp16-05.html • http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/index.php?one=azt&two=lif&id=480&typ=reg

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