The Wombat File Is Yours to Keep: The Friday Quiz: Mystery Beast

Yes, technically it's still Thursday. That means the Australian continigent will probably run away with this one. Stupid spherical earth!

All set?

Dactylopius coccus ranges from Mexico down into tropical and subtropical South America, feeding primarily on cactus. It was used by the Incas, and when colonization brought awareness of the creature to Europe, it became highly prized there; one use was in the makings of the robes of Roman Catholic Cardinals. During the colonial period, they were Mexico's second most valuable export after silver. Ranches devoted to raising Dactylopius coccus were tried in numerous locations in Africa and the Mediterranean, with the greatest success occurring in the Canary Islands, still large producers of the creatures.

For what purpose is this creature now raised?

First correct answer posted to comments wins an old, semi-functional Simon Says that won't give you credit most of the time for getting the sequence right, which is really frustrating. No Googling or doing whatever else I would tell you not to do if I weren't so damn tired. One guess per comment, but comment as often as you like.

Comments

Llamas = pack animal

Posted by: art | March 16, 2007 01:02 AM

Alpaca = pack-a animal

Posted by: art | March 16, 2007 01:03 AM

chinchilla = hmmmm, fur coat (but not for Cardinals)

Posted by: art | March 16, 2007 01:04 AM

OK, now didn't we have a question about silkworms in the past? Is this worm used in the tequila bottle (as opposed to for making cloth)?

Posted by: art | March 16, 2007 01:07 AM

Ahh, yes Friday afternoon thoughts of Tequila

Posted by: art | March 16, 2007 01:13 AM

Is this the beetle that can be crushed to create a red dye? And I don't mean Ringo, either.

Posted by: james | March 16, 2007 09:04 AM

No tequila in the house. Where is Carlos Castenada when I'm trying to channel him?

Posted by: art | March 16, 2007 09:06 AM

Altho' I suppose crushing Ringo may produce a red dye of sorts.

Posted by: james | March 16, 2007 09:23 AM

James crushes Ringo and dyes this quiz done.

The red color produced by the mashed bodies of "cochineal insects" is used for dyeing everything from eyeliner to ice cream (herbivorious, art, et al, you may begin your review of ingredient ladles).

Art, I'd appreciate it if you refrained from channeling Castenada here...we have an exclusive contract with the late Robert Anton Wilson to serve all of our consciousness-expansion needs. Unfortunately, he's not likely to be any more effective a means of magical-tequila-supply than Sr. Castenada. So, I suggest you look to other sources -- but by the time you read this, shouldn't you be looking for the green variety?

Posted by: BT | March 16, 2007 09:51 AM

"labels"

Argh.

Posted by: BT | March 16, 2007 09:57 AM

I have seen cochineal. Aren't they mini snails?

Posted by: shananan | March 16, 2007 09:59 AM

They're actually insects...from the same order as aphids, mealyworms, leafhoppers, grasshoppers, cicadas.

The females are wingless, but interestingly, when the juveniles of both sexes reach a certain stage of development, they secret a long waxy "filament" and wander to the edge of the cactus they were born on. The wind catches the filament and blows the bug (with luck) to a new cactus feeding/growing/baby-making site.

Posted by: BT | March 16, 2007 10:11 AM

I use them for their tasty dung.

Posted by: bootsy3000 | March 16, 2007 11:28 AM

On ingredient lists they show up as "carmine."

I guess that does sound nicer than "smushed cochineals."

Posted by: boxjam | March 19, 2007 07:04 AM

The Wombat File Is Yours to Keep

The Wombat File is a Delaying Tactic that May Save Your Life

The Friday Quiz: Mystery Beast

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