The curious parasitic plant, field dodder, extends its long twisting stems over and around plants creating a complex network entwining stalks and sometimes wire fences. The plants have no roots and no green leaves but have a specialised organ, a haustorium,  which attaches to the host plant. The dodder sucks out water and food from their host plant. Inevitably this cause harm to the host and dodder is considered to be a dangerous weed.

Parasitic plants are often referred to as vampire plants and dodder has a variety of common names including devil’s threads and angel hair. In Greek it is, along with other parasitic plants is called Likos meaning wolf.