I am going to learn how to prepare cochineal for dyeing. I have found lots of it on our property and thanks to my good friend, Grace Lovelace, I now know how to dry them! Here are some pictures of what I collected.
Click on the picture to see it larger.

Prickly pear pads with cochineal bugs all over!

You can see the red streaks where I scraped off the bugs.

I found out the best way to dry the cochineal bug is to use a food dehydrator. And I just happen to have one. Got it for $3.00 at a yard sale way before I moved to Texas. The neighbor used it to dry greenware as in ceramics. I have never used it so I guess I need to put it to use. I understand that the dyers in Mexico dry them this way.

     



Later,