I've made a wonderful discovery!
So, a little back history: I live out in the middle of nowhere in a scrub forest, the only vegetation is cactus and cedar with the occasional wild flowers in May (which is very beautiful!). A couple of years ago this white mold grew on pretty much all of the cactus, I tried spraying stuff around to kill the mold to no avail. Most of the cacti died.
Then two days ago my sister had me looking up cochineal, to dye a cote-hardy I'm making her, and I find out they grow on cactus. Hmm... Interesting... I found out more specifically that they grow on prickly pear, and are often mistaken for being a mold! So I found some pictures of their webby-moldy things and sure enough, that's what killed all the cactus a few years ago.
Yesterday my sister and I went out and managed to find about 30 of the little things. I accidentally popped one and for hours I had a magenta stain on my fingers that wouldn't wash off. They don't seem to be in season right now, so we'll have to check in another month or so.
I just find it so amazing that we've had cochineal growing all around us, and only just now found out. Why is it that for the past two days I've had to fight off the urge to jump up and down, squealing, over bugs?
Then two days ago my sister had me looking up cochineal, to dye a cote-hardy I'm making her, and I find out they grow on cactus. Hmm... Interesting... I found out more specifically that they grow on prickly pear, and are often mistaken for being a mold! So I found some pictures of their webby-moldy things and sure enough, that's what killed all the cactus a few years ago.
Yesterday my sister and I went out and managed to find about 30 of the little things. I accidentally popped one and for hours I had a magenta stain on my fingers that wouldn't wash off. They don't seem to be in season right now, so we'll have to check in another month or so.
I just find it so amazing that we've had cochineal growing all around us, and only just now found out. Why is it that for the past two days I've had to fight off the urge to jump up and down, squealing, over bugs?