Perhaps you've had dealings with thistles.

As I deal with the weeds in the garden, I've decided that, if I'm weeding in an area where I may be on my knees later, whether seeding or weeding, I 've found it wise to carry a bucket with me, and put the thistles that I remove into it, to be discarded into compost or elsewhere.

If you sit on a live thistle ...

... you'll be rising rather quickly, and if you were stuck by six barbs, you'll have six holes to add to the original major one that you had when you sat down.

If, however, you sit on a dead thistle and are stuck by several barbs, when you rise, the only hole that you'll have is the major one that you had that morning ... and every morning of your life, for that matter.

It seems that the stickers on a dead thistle have decided, whether they were able to do such after consultation, whether by smoke signals, wi-fi, or whatever, that they haven't been receiving the support recently that they did originally from those in charge of the plant ...

... so it's probably a good idea to decamp, to go with the new entity that just appeared on the scene, as that one may provide for them better than the former one.

So ... you may decide, if you're a gardener, not to leave dead thistles lying around on the ground.

ole joyful ... always willing to offer useful advice