My dogs were swimming at Fewston reservoir near Harrogate yesterday and ran through a patch of this nightmare plant. The burs explode into hundreds of little seeds with a pair of horns that latch onto anything, so you can imagine what it's like trying to extract them from a coated breed. Native vegetation is unable to complete with the vigour of this invasive species. Please take care with your animals and report any sightings to countryside rangers and Wildlife Trusts.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/4539068.Rangers____concern_as_shrub_takes_root/

That's a scary-looking plant!
I was just about to blame it on a garden escape, and wondering about a letter to Gardener's Question Time when I saw it's been here since WW2. I really hope it doesn't spread any further. And I am now happy I don't live in New Zealand.

[Off topic but the side stories on that local news page were also rather alarming - did a woman really bite off her boyfriend's testicles? The mind boggles.]

Off topic but the side stories on that local news page were also rather alarming - did a woman really bite off her boyfriend's testicles?

OMG !!!!

Going back for a look - I missed that bit haha

LOL! Off topic just a tad there, yes! *giggles*

Going back for a look - I missed that bit haha

do you think that's what she said...

Haha
She must have pretty sharp teeth

where we live people usually just go to the chip shop

LOL! Imagine the mess!!

Going back on topic :-P I deal with those things all the time, I didn't realise they were a 'new' threat.  Was picking them off the dogs at the woods the other day and doubtless will be picking more off today - they are a PITA but there's a reason I have short-coated dogs ;-) The only one I have real trouble with is Opi, her neck ruff and tail are quite thick and they do get quite caught up.

we live in the harrogate area and have seen a few of these around. Didnt know i had to report the sightings though

Hi Nikita, uou are quite right, they aren't a new threat. They've been in the south for decades, but they are spreading much further north and are invading sensitive/rare habitats. wiping out fragile species. The problem seems to be the ease and speed with which they spread along watercoursesm hence the concern of environmental conservation bodies.

I am still picking these damn things out of the dogs' feathers, and Jack being a total crybaby is making life doubly hard by squealing for all he's worth, which has put the other two off completely--they will stand or lie down for a couple of minutes at most while I pick at their coats, and they have a show on Sunday. Until they are free of these things I daren't let them off lead either.

that looks like the beasties I deal with frequently didmt kmow what they were except a blooming nuisance.
My longhaired gsd is very prone to picking them up an absloute nightmare to remove have even resulted to cutting them out

I walk there quite often throughout the year so I'll have to keep my eye out for them. Although I guess it won't be too difficult to get them out of a boxer coat.

I have yet to need to remove them from my dobermanns, so I imagine your boxer will be fine :-)

> I deal with those things all the time, I didn't realise they were a 'new' threat.

We have the usual Burdock burrs here (the kind that Swedish scientists studied, and invented Velcro as a result), and they are bad enough! I do hope these exploding Piri Piris don't invade too soon.

Last time my lad met burdock burrs they turned his tail into a solid club of hair, which then bent back and velcroed itself to his bum. He is usually a nightmare to groom - he hates it - but it's funny how he's happy to let me pull out burrs when he gets any.