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Author Topic: Natural Pigment (dye) from cactus?  (Read 14629 times)

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JSU

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Natural Pigment (dye) from cactus?
« on: April 01, 2007, 01:22:25 am »
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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Offline samuraiwarrior

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Re: Natural Pigment (dye) from cactus?
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2007, 01:29:10 am »
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!
« Last Edit: July 12, 2007, 10:24:26 am by Marc St Louis »
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JSU

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Re: Natural Pigment (dye) from cactus?
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2007, 01:33:51 am »
another pic.

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JSU

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Re: Natural Pigment (dye) from cactus?
« Reply #3 on: April 01, 2007, 01:49:02 am »
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
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Offline DanaM

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Re: Natural Pigment (dye) from cactus?
« Reply #4 on: April 01, 2007, 05:34:21 am »
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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"Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things."

Manistique, MI

Offline Pat B

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Re: Natural Pigment (dye) from cactus?
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2007, 12:18:27 pm »
We have simular critters here that are distroying our native Hemlock trees. The Hemlock Wooly Adelgid. The HWA is an invasive exotic specie. There is a simular one that is hosted by beech trees and another by Spruce and Fir trees in our area that are native and therefore a natural controll exists. Also the mealy bug on our house plants is a simular critter.   Pat
   
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC
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