Where Do You Find Cochineal Parasites? Uncovering the Desert's Crimson Secret
                                
                                
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                                    4 min read                                
                            
                                The brilliant red carmine dye, used for centuries in textiles and food coloring, is derived from the tiny, parasitic cochineal insect. But where do you find cochineal parasites, and what is their natural habitat? These fascinating insects live exclusively on prickly pear cactus plants throughout the Americas.