Dactylopius

Dactylopius is a genus of insect in the superfamily Coccoidea, the scale insects. It is the only genus in the family Dactylopiidae. These insects are known commonly as cochineals, a name that also specifically refers to the best-known species, the cochineal (Dactylopius coccus). The cochineal is an insect of economic and historical importance as a main source of the red dye carmine. It has reportedly been used for this purpose in the Americas since the 10th century. Genus Dactylopius is also important because several species have been used as agents of biological pest control, and because several are known as invasive species.

==Description== In general, cochineals are waxy gray scaled insects, with the key characteristic that adult females release the bright red substance when crushed known as carminic acid. Most species belonging to this genus are covered in thin, sticky strands of wax; D. coccus is one such species which lacks these traits. Common with the characteristics of most scaled insects, the species within this genus too show sexual dimorphism between male and female individuals. Where females of the genus possess a simple morphology (standard body, with a head, mouth, legs, etc.), though lacking wings of any kind; the males of the genus are the opposite, possessing a singular set of wings, and no mouth at all. (See D. coccus for example.)