Caribbean Jake July 9, 2006 Share July 9, 2006 Swimmer Alert: Plentiful Jellyfish in Ocean and Bay Waters This Summer article taken from www.wavy.com (AP) - Experts said the jellies live in the ocean year-round. The increase comes because of the season's warm weather and warmer waters, which attract both jellyfish and beach visitors. "Here, we're fortunate because the stings are most likely not life-threatening, but some people can have really bad reactions," said Gary Felch, a lieutenant with Virginia Beach Lifesaving Services, which is affiliated with Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services. "If they have an allergic reaction, it becomes more serious," Felch said. "They could possibly go into anaphylactic shock and have trouble breathing." Beth Firchau, a fish curator at the Virginia Marine Science Museum, said beachgoers can judge how much they'll react to a jelly sting with how they react to mosquito bites and bee stings. "The severity of a sting really depends on an individual," Firchau said. "If you have a history of getting irritated by bug bites and the like, then you should be taking extra precautions to avoid jellies." In the Hampton Roads area, two types of jellies - the sea nettle and the moon jelly - are most common, she said. Sea nettles are most likely what stung 7-year-old Jonathan on his ankle while swimming near his home in Virginia Beach. Long, white, stinging tentacles hang from sea nettles' dome-shapes, which can be the size of a man's fist. These jellies' stings can be more painful than other types. Moon jellies, which are about the size of a dinner plate, have been causing more stings at the Oceanfront this summer. Although they're larger than sea nettles, a flower pattern on the domes of moon jellies makes them easier to spot. In creeks and smaller waterways, comb jellies can also be found, but they are less dangerous and less common than the other types. As for fatal jellies like sea wasps and the Portuguese man-of-war, they only come to the Virginia coast on a strong wind, such as hurricane-force gusts, but are extremely rare in local waters. Just in case, Virginia Beach lifeguards take precautions when dealing with jellyfish sting victims. "Usually, the guard will check to see if the person is having any trouble breathing, then check for welts of similar marks," Felch said. "Really, for the pain, the best remedy is a home remedy - meat tenderizer and water work really well combined. Also, anti-itch creams ... can help alleviate the irritation." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OUsnakebyte July 10, 2006 Share July 10, 2006 article taken from www.wavy.com Sea nettles are most likely what stung 7-year-old Jonathan on his ankle while swimming near his home in Virginia Beach. Long, white, stinging tentacles hang from sea nettles' dome-shapes, which can be the size of a man's fist. These jellies' stings can be more painful than other types. Moon jellies, which are about the size of a dinner plate, have been causing more stings at the Oceanfront this summer. In creeks and smaller waterways, comb jellies can also be found, but they are less dangerous and less common than the other types. As for fatal jellies like sea wasps and the Portuguese man-of-war, they only come to the Virginia coast on a strong wind, such as hurricane-force gusts, but are extremely rare in local waters. Sea nettles rule!!! Hope to have some soon here at the Invertebrate Exhibit!!! "...comb jellies can also be found, but they are less dangerous..." Ha! comb jellies are NO danger, that is, unless you are oyster larvae or some other member of zooplankton... They have no nematocysts (not even cnidarians). Getting more comb jellies this Thursday! Cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Grenier July 10, 2006 Share July 10, 2006 Anyone ever try scooping-up some a keeping them in a home aquarium? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco July 10, 2006 Share July 10, 2006 Irukandji !!!!! Run..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 July 10, 2006 Share July 10, 2006 They forgot to mention the vinegar treatment, and of course, the pee treatment! When we were in Florida last summer and one of the girls got stung while we were walking (and far from a lifeguard station) I tried to convince her to pee on herself, but it didn't work so I had to carry her all the way down to the lifeguard station... Mike/OSUsnakebyte - do you work at the National Zoo or something similar? I was curious about what you said about getting them into the invertebrate exhibit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryL July 11, 2006 Share July 11, 2006 Sea nettles rule!!! Hope to have some soon here at the Invertebrate Exhibit!!! "...comb jellies can also be found, but they are less dangerous..." Ha! comb jellies are NO danger, that is, unless you are oyster larvae or some other member of zooplankton... They have no nematocysts (not even cnidarians). Getting more comb jellies this Thursday! Cheers Mike looks like i'll be there to help acclimate them. JOY! they don't go in my mouth right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OUsnakebyte July 11, 2006 Share July 11, 2006 Anyone ever try scooping-up some a keeping them in a home aquarium? They would not last 5 minutes in a regular reef tank - sucked into a powerhead, down the overflow... They require a circular tank where they can be rotating and kept free from pumps. They can be kept at full salinity (1.025), but do better at about 1.015 and at cooler temps. Mike/OSUsnakebyte - do you work at the National Zoo or something similar? I was curious about what you said about getting them into the invertebrate exhibit... Yup. looks like i'll be there to help acclimate them. JOY! they don't go in my mouth right? C'mon down! But, please do not eat the comb jellies... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caribbean Jake July 11, 2006 Author Share July 11, 2006 plenty of these jelly fish in Virginia Beach. My son was scooping the dinner plate jelly with his hands, they are kind of rubbery and plastic at the same time, no tentacles on them, just a flat transparent disk. Wonder if they were dead Mike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valeria July 11, 2006 Share July 11, 2006 Couple years back around the same time (while in VA beach of course) my brother, Dad and I were all stung by the Jelly fish- all of us had different reactions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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