How to Eliminate Beggar's Lice
Although the name might conjure up images of itchy bugs, beggar's lice is actually part of a plant. Also known as stickweed, beggar's lice are little seed pods that stick to clothing and animal fur. By being prickly, the seed pods can latch onto wild animals. When the animals groom themselves, the pods fall off, and the seeds germinate. With its propensity to stick to clothing and hair, beggar's lice can be a nuisance to humans.
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Things You'll Need
- Nylon gaiters
- Butter knife
- Corduroy pants
- Nylon gloves
- Gardening sheers
- Weed killer
- Craft sponge brush
Instructions
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Eliminate Beggar's Lice from Your Clothes and Hair
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1
Wear corduroy pants when going hiking instead of denim. Beggar's lice is less likely to stick to corduroy.
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2
Slip on nylon gaiters over your shoes and pants. Beggar's lice does not adhere to nylon very well.
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3
Carry a butter knife on you. You can use the knife to scrape off any beggar's lice pods that do end up clinging to your clothes. Scrape the knife against your clothing between the fabric and the seed pod. A pocket comb can be helpful as well, especially if you get beggar's lice entangled in your hair or in your pet's fur.
Eliminate Beggar's Lice from Your Yard
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4
Put on protective gloves, preferably gloves made of a nylon-like fabric to reduce the likelihood of beggar's lice pods from sticking to you.
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5
Locate the beggar's lice plant. The plant has leaves in groups of three and flowers that are light pink to rose in color.
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6
Locate the main stem of the plant. This is the thickest stalk at the plant's center. Using gardening sheers, cut this stem as close to the ground as possible.
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7
Dip the sponge brush into the herbicide immediately and dab the cut stem. Do not spray around the plant. You may accidentally kill surrounding plants and grass.
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References
- Photo Credit hiking with friend image by sarssa from Fotolia.com
