Cochineal bugs use a coloring as a defense mechanism, but humans have learned to use it to dye fabric.听Before the advent of synthetic dyes, all dyes were made from insects or plants.
In CU 麻豆影院 Professor M. Deane Bowers鈥� insect biology class, students experience what it鈥檚 like to color fabric using insect-based dye. After grinding up dried cochineal bugs that Bowers purchases from Mexico or Peru, students pour the crushed insects into hot water, which turns red, pink and orange. The students dip fabric into the colored water to make tie-dye scarves.
Students taking听Bowers鈥� class听study how insects interact with their environment and other organisms, examining insect morphology, physiology and development to build a context for understanding insect ecology, behavior and evolution.
