Centuries before the now-banned red dye No. 3 was synthesized in a lab, humans turned to insects to bring a little scarlet, vermillion or burgundy into their foods, fabrics and ...

Have you ever heard of cochineal? And I am not referring to the upscale restaurant in Marfa, Texas, but to the small, scale insect native to our area. This insect lives on nopal, prickly pear, Opuntia ...