Cochineal

Noun: An insect that lives on Prickly Pear Cacti. It can be spotted because it covers itself with a white goo. The insect when processed is used to create a natural crimson dye. Cochineal was one of the first exports from the America’s because crimson dye was much in demand.

Example: “After scraping a teaspoon of cochineal off the cactus he had enough material to dye his tee shirt crimson.”