The Prickly Pear Cacti in Eaton Canyon

have a white mold looking stuff on them. This years there is a lot of it.

Inside the mold is a small sac of red liquid created by a bug called: Cochineal-dactylopius coccus.

The red liquid used to be the only really good source of red dye and was one of the early exports from the “New World” to Spain.  It still is used as a red dye in foods.  So when you eat red velvet cake part of what you are eating is bugs.  More information

I see an opportunity for local, natural, organic, color dyes to sell at farmers markets.