This is probably actually a joint effort at play between plants, soil microbes, and insect life as fungi moves in and nature changes the dynamics of the plant community away from the original pioneers that grew in the bacterially dominated soil. The tables have turned now and set things in favor of other plant species. While there may be a few stray sicklepods survive in this area I disturbed last year…..I believe the other plants will out compete most of it. Notice in the one pic above that none of the other plants have insect damage……I think they are targeting the weak……The sicklepod is probably sending out some kind of chemical signal that it is stressed while the other plants are healthy and vibrant. I’m guessing that as sicklepod plants weaken then they will be eaten and taken out of the plant community or just get outcompeted for resources (sun, water, nutrients).