cochineal insect

cochineal insect

n. Any of several scale insects of the family Dactylopiidae, especially Dactylopius coccus, that feed on prickly pear cacti and range from the southwest United States to Central America.

coch′ineal in`sect

n. any of various scale insects, of the family Dactylopiidae, that feed on cactus and have a bright red body fluid used as a dye. [1795–1805]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

cochineal insect - Mexican red scale insect that feeds on cacti; the source of a red dyeDactylopius coccus, cochinealscale insect - small homopterous insect that usually lives and feeds on plants and secretes a protective waxy coveringDactylopius, genus Dactylopius - type genus of the Dactylopiidae