Joker Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 We were at the beach today and there were a lot of small jellyfish. Dds kept scooping them up and sending them back out to sea.:tongue_smilie: There were a lot of swimmers (even though it was soooo cold) and no one seemed to get stung. I was worried about the girls though. Do the young/small ones sting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 We were at the beach today and there were a lot of small jellyfish. Dds kept scooping them up and sending them back out to sea.:tongue_smilie: There were a lot of swimmers (even though it was soooo cold) and no one seemed to get stung. I was worried about the girls though. Do the young/small ones sting? According to my research (to channel Dorothy Ann), all jellyfish sting but not all stings are harmful to humans. The ones that aren't harmful do not hurt at all. The problem is that you can't tell which ones are very harmful (ie. fatal) and those which go on a spectrum all the way down to the harmless ones you encountered. It was very unwise to let your dds scoop them up. I'm glad they were ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlaura Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 I am no expert, but DS and I have been looking into jellies lately. From what we've read and the programs we've watched, I know there are varying levels of sting between types. There are tiny jellies that can kill. But if they were babies of a type with a less potent sting, I think the sting wouldn't produce enough poison to be noticed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 In FL you will not usually be troubled by small clear ones at the beach. The ones you want to watch out for are the clear ones that also have brownish markings, they have a sting you can feel. Also, every once in a while a Portuguese Man-o-War will come along. On the surface this looks like an iridescent plastic baggie floating along. The tentacles hang beneath and produce a very nasty sting (often requiring an ER trip). Do not even let your kids play with a "dead" one of these lying on the shore, they are little hydraulic marvels whose stinging cells can still be triggered until completely it's completely dessicated. I'm thinking you get more nasty jellies on the Atlantic coast than on the Gulf coast. Keep a spray bottle of vinegar with you and that should neutralize the any stings. Meat tenderizer also works. Do not try to rub off a stuck jelly, wash it off with water instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted February 22, 2011 Author Share Posted February 22, 2011 According to my research (to channel Dorothy Ann), all jellyfish sting but not all stings are harmful to humans. The ones that aren't harmful do not hurt at all. The problem is that you can't tell which ones are very harmful (ie. fatal) and those which go on a spectrum all the way down to the harmless ones you encountered. It was very unwise to let your dds scoop them up. I'm glad they were ok. Thanks! They scooped them with a bucket so they never actually touched them. There were a lot washing up on shore and they hated seeing them just lying there. I just found it interesting that so many people were swimming where all these jellyfish were and wondered why no one was getting stung. We didn't let our dds actually wade out in the water because of it. They had enough fun on the shore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Just wanted to add that the neatest thing about the little jellies is that many of them are bio-luminescent. That means if you go out sailing at night you can turn up a beautiful glowing wake as you cruise along. Wow, I really miss living on the coast... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy in Indy Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 When we were at Kitty Hawk this summer, there were tons of jellyfish in the water and on the beach. Ds's gf seemed to attract them for some reason. Several times she had them in her suit. (Blech) She didn't get stung, though. It was weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Thanks! They scooped them with a bucket so they never actually touched them. There were a lot washing up on shore and they hated seeing them just lying there. I just found it interesting that so many people were swimming where all these jellyfish were and wondered why no one was getting stung. We didn't let our dds actually wade out in the water because of it. They had enough fun on the shore. Good! I have inadvertently found myself surrounded by jellies and was very afraid as I tried to get out of their way. So far I have been very fortunate and have not had a bad sting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 It only takes once to make you super paranoid about jellies. Ask me how I know. :glare: I don't let ds in the water if I see them. I'm not willing to take the risk he'll get stung even though I know some jellies are relatively harmless, because I can never tell what kind they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Just wanted to add that the neatest thing about the little jellies is that many of them are bio-luminescent. That means if you go out sailing at night you can turn up a beautiful glowing wake as you cruise along. Wow, I really miss living on the coast... OOOH I used to see that down in the Keys when I would go night fishing. It's VERY cool! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
min Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Here some sting, and some don't. Or at least, the kids play with some kinds and know which ones to leave alone... Min Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LidiyaDawn Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 I grew up on the east coast (Canada) and we always had jellyfish fights with the little ones scattered all over the beach. :laugh: Somehow we just knew "those guys don't sting" . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 When we think "jellies" we usually think of the creatures that are in the phyllum Cnidaria. But there are also these small creatures called comb jellies from a different phyllum, Ctenophora, that are completely harmless. Jellies from the first group, Cnidaria, can have stings that are paralyzing--or just a tiny little twinge. Frankly I would keep a respectful distance. I suspect that your daughters were scooping comb jellies. They are lovely little things! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenpatty Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Us, too. We'd put big shirts on and filter dozens of tiny ones at a time out of the water with them. The big ones, and the ones with tentacles, we avoided as much as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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