Bug FAQTrue cochineal bug
Dactylopius coccus · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Dactylopiidae
Also called: cochineal insect, cochineal scale
Source: Wikipedia
Female cochineal insects are wingless and about 5 mm long. They live on the pads of Opuntia (prickly-pear) cacti, feeding on the plant’s juices and moisture. Infestations can kill the cactus, so they are considered a crop pest.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Adults pierce the cactus with a beak-like mouthpart and stay still unless disturbed. Nymphs coat themselves in a waxy white layer to prevent water loss and sun damage.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Females are wingless and measure about 5 mm (0.2 in) in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
Feeding cochineals can damage and eventually kill the cactus they infest. Infestations have continued to spread even after commercial cochineal production ended.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Regions that rely on cochineal production treat pest control very seriously. For small-scale growers, manual removal is the safest and most effective control method.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
The insects feed on the cactus’s moisture and nutrients.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Cochineals pierce the cactus and drink its juices, obtaining moisture and nutrients.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The full life cycle lasts about three months when kept at a constant 27 °C (81 °F). After mating, the fertilised female grows larger and gives birth to tiny nymphs.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Other Dactylopius species look very similar and are hard to tell apart, even for experts.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 3 of 51 states and DC. Most records: New Mexico, Texas, California.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Questions people ask
What plants do cochineal insects infest?
They live on the pads of prickly-pear (Opuntia) cacti and feed on the plant’s juices.
Source: Wikipedia
Can cochineal insects kill my cactus?
Yes, feeding cochineals can damage and eventually kill the cactus.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I control a cochineal infestation?
Manual removal is the safest and most effective method for small-scale cultivation.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Dactylopiidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochineal
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.