StickTight

​Sticktight (also known as stickseed or beggar's lice) refers to several plant species with sticky, barbed seeds that cling to animal fur, clothing, or skin, aiding in seed dispersal. The term isn't exclusive to one species but commonly applies to:

• Hackelia virginiana (Virginia stickseed): A native biennial in eastern North American woodlands, with small white flowers in summer and burs that form on brittle stems. It's often considered a nuisance in forests due to its abundant, hard-to-remove seeds.
• Bidens frondosa (devil's beggarticks or sticktights): An annual in the aster family, widespread in North America (and invasive elsewhere), with yellow disc flowers and flat, barbed cypselas (seeds) up to 1 cm long. It thrives in moist, disturbed areas like streambanks and can grow 0.5–4 feet tall.
• Other relatives like Lappula squarrosa (European sticktight) or Lappula occidentalis (western sticktight), which have spiny fruits and are sometimes introduced or weedy.

These plants are typically found in pastures, fields, woodlands, or edges of grazed areas, especially in moist or shaded spots. Their seeds hitchhike on livestock, facilitating spread across landscapes.
Relation to Rotational Grazing
Rotational grazing is a sustainable livestock management system where animals (e.g., cattle, sheep) are moved between subdivided paddocks to mimic natural herd movements. This allows grazed areas to rest and regrow, promoting soil health, forage quality, biodiversity, and preventing overgrazing. Benefits include deeper plant roots, reduced erosion, and better nutrient cycling via manure.
Sticktight plants intersect with rotational grazing in several ways, often as opportunistic "weeds" that exploit the system's dynamics:

1. Weed Management and Control:
   • Rotational grazing can suppress sticktights by encouraging dense, competitive forage growth during rest periods. Healthy grasses and legumes outcompete weedy species like Bidens or Hackelia, reducing their establishment. Grazing before weeds set seed (e.g., mid-summer for flowering) prevents burr formation and spread.
   • However, if paddocks are understocked or rested too long, sticktights may proliferate in disturbed or nutrient-rich spots (e.g., near gates or water sources). Intensive rotations (short graze periods of 1–7 days) target young, tender weeds before they mature.

1. Seed Dispersal Challenges:

1. • Livestock act as vectors for sticktight seeds, which stick to fur and are transported between paddocks. This is more pronounced in rotational systems with frequent moves, potentially spreading invasives like Bidens frondosa across farms.
   • Mitigation: Use temporary electric fencing to minimize contact with weedy edges, or time rotations to avoid peak seed-set (late summer/fall). Some farmers rogue (hand-pull) plants or mow borders.

1. Ecological and Biodiversity Role:

1. • In diverse pastures, sticktights can enhance habitat heterogeneity—a strength of rotational grazing. Their late-season flowers provide pollen/nectar for pollinators (e.g., bees, butterflies), supporting biodiversity.
   • On the flip side, dense stands reduce palatable forage, leading to selective grazing where animals avoid sticktights but overgraze preferred plants, weakening the sward.

Overall, rotational grazing offers tools to keep sticktights in check while leveraging their role in a balanced ecosystem.