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Natural Pigment (dye) from cactus?

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JSU:
Hello, Does anyone know what this stuff is? when I was a kid we called it Comanche war paint, and would streak our face with it and run around screaming like an Indian! It appears on some cactus, I'm not sure if the cactus is diseased or not. This stuff is weird, its like cotton growing off the cactus ear, and it is totally white but when you mash it ,it is dark burgandy, or purple. It stains like pecan hulls, the old timers told us Indians used it for war paint. I think it would make a good dye for Bows, arrows,leather or just about anything. Any input from ya'll would be nice.

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samuraiwarrior:
It looks like this stuff that Tom Mills uses on PaleoPlanet:


--- Quote ---On the Cactus pads, you'll see an interesting fluffy white substance. This substance is created by a small scale insect that lives/feeds on these types of cactus. The dye is synthesized by the scale insect from the cactus - it is also a weak acid - but strong enough to deter predators.
Interestingly, a moth larve - the pyralid moth (Laetilia coccidivora) lives out its larval stage on the cactus, within the fluffy scale insect coccoon. It eats the scale insect, and is itself protected from predation.

Anyway, I mention all of this because cochineal makes a super, duper cool "paint" or "dye" for decorating arrowshafts!
--- End quote ---

JSU:
another pic.

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JSU:
That's what it is! I rubbed bug guts all over my face! I'm going to try some on some shafts it's a neat color . thanks for the info! Scotty

DanaM:
JSU when I was kid we used to smash fireflies all over ourselves so we glowed in the datk. ;D
At least you didn't know it was bugs.

DanaM

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