This dye-insect is native to Central America and lives exclusively on cactuses, preferring the spineless prickly pear or nopal (Nopalea cochenilli). The sucking female lice become covered with a white substance so that their original brown-red colour is only seen when they first settle. When pierced, they exude a dark red drop. Soon after the discovery of Mexico by the Spaniards in 1512, cochineal began a worldwide conquest. There were whole fleets of vessels transporting cochineal to Spain . Its qualities as a dye surpassed that of the dye-insects of the Old World many times, both in the volume of dye produced as well as in the brilliance of the colour. Female cochineal lice are wingless and do not move, although they do have legs. They are fertilized by the males, which can fly. Shortly before the females lay their eggs, they are gathered and dried. The raw material for cochineal consists of the bodies of the dried females containing their eggs.The individuals measure a maximum of 5 mm so that about 130,000 are required for a kilogram. They can be harvested several times a year. Cochineal dyes wool on an alum mordant dark red and on a ferric mordant violet. Dyeing on silk with alum and tin mordants gives a very brilliant colour and varies in tone from violet to blue-red to light red.
Historical Data
Cochineal is one of the most important natural dyes used to produce fast reds. This dye was discovered by Mexican dyers in about 1000 BC. Its native country is Mexico . Eventually the cultivation of Mexican cochineal spread to other countries with suitable climates and it came to play a very important part in various kind of dyeing.The cochineal insect was brought to Europe by the Spanish in the early sixteenth Century after discovery of America . Until Spanish conquest of Mexico the cochineal dye remained unknown to the rest of the world, although it has been suggested that true cochineal was also known in the ancient world where it was produced from insects native to the Ararat valley in a mountain of Turkey. In the 19th Century its cultivation was started in the Canary Island and elsewhere. The Incas were masters in the production of cochineal-red textiles. For a long time, the Spaniards maintained a trading monopoly for cochineal from Central America . At the beginning of the 19th century, however, breeding was established in the Old World, in 1828 on Java, and in 1835 on the Canary Islands . Extensive information about the regions throughout the world in which species of cochineal and their host plants are cultivated for dye is provided in a comprehensive study by Donkin.The worldwide production of cochineal had its zenith in 1870. The decline in production began with the introduction of the synthetic dye fuchsin, which after its discovery in 1856 was soon produced in quantities. Following the introduction of the red azo-dyestuffs, such as Cochinillerot A, after 1878, prices declined so greatly that producing natural cochineal was no longer economical. The oldest Mexican document mentioning the cochineal is a register of the tributes, Triple Alliance (Ténochtitlan, Tetzcoco and Tiacopan) on the provinces conquered in the south of Mexico , before the arrival of the Spaniards. This knowledge was given by Matricula de Tributos from 1511-1512 and his manuscripts were collected into Codex Mendoza (which was written for the first viceroy Antonio de Mendoza, in 1540). According to this codex, 4400 kg cochineal were provided each year.During all the colonial period, the production of cochineal was strongly increased and value of this product was at the fourth row after gold, money and pearl. The first arrival of the Cochineal in Spain was in 1523. After 1565, fleets of cochineal were arrived to Seville and brought to Europe 115000 kg annually. Use of cochineal spread like a powder in the countries of Mediterranean region of Europe . D2.2.2_fichiers/image124.jpg At the end of the 16th century, the cochineal was exported by Venice towards Persia and Asia centrale. The annual production exceeded 460000 kg between 1760 - 1782, with a record of almost 713000 kg in 1772, but reached this level only in the middle of the 19th century. Meanwhile, there were many attempts to break the Spanish monopoly: the economic benefit because of the growing importance of dye products was in particular the case for cochineal in the 19th century.Meanwhile, there were many attempts to break the Spanish monopoly: the economic benefit because of the growing importance of dye products was in particular the case for cochineal in the 19th century. Apart from Mexico , other Central American countries would benefit from the disintegration of the Spanish Empire, to develop production and exportation of cochineal: Initially Guatemala, also Honduras , Nicaragua , El Salvador . In 1850, Mexico exported between 454000 - 680000 kg annually, Guatemala exported 793000 kg . The Spanish goverment introduced the breeding of the cochineal to the Canary Islands and Cadiz . While the metropolitan Spanish production did not exceed the amount of 18000 kg , but the Canaries became the most significant producer in the world, with 454000 kg in 1855, and record of 2722000 kg in 1875 .Meanwhile, there were many attempts to break the Spanish monopoly: the economic benefit because of the growing importance of dye products was in particular the case for cochineal in the 19th century. Apart from Mexico , other Central American countries would benefit from the disintegration of the Spanish Empire, to develop production and exportation of cochineal: Initially Guatemala, also Honduras , Nicaragua , El Salvador . In 1850, Mexico exported between 454000 - 680000 kg annually, Guatemala exported 793000 kg . The Spanish goverment introduced the breeding of the cochineal to the Canary Islands and Cadiz . While the metropolitan Spanish production did not exceed the amount of 18000 kg , but the Canaries became the most significant producer in the world, with 454000 kg in 1855, and record of 2722000 kg in 1875 .After an unsuccessful breeding test of introduction of the cochineal in Toulon , in 1806, France succeeded in installing nopals in the Algeria , where the production of cochineal rose up to 180000 in 1848. The Dutch government was also eager to introduce the cochineal into its colonial empire, and they sent an industrial spy to Cadiz in 1827 who learned all the secrets of the breeding of the insect in two years. At the present, the total world demand is 1100 tons per year, whereas the production was 1045.9 tons in 2000. The major producer countries are Peru (85 % of the world production with 885,9 tons), Chile (110 tons, 10,5%), the Canary Islands (30 tons, 2,86%) and Bolivia (20 tons, 1.91 %). In Mexico , the notable renewal of interest for this breeding did not result in a significant production from the economic point of view. Cochineal has today, however, regained importance,not so much for dyeing textiles but rather as a dye for foods and cosmetics.
