As the Water Temperature Rises So Does the Number of Jellyfish
Residents living in and around Bel Air, Md, have new experiences to talk about when they visit Rehoboth Beach these days. Kevin Merrick, age 14, caught three jellyfish after spending a day at the beach with his family. "We've seen a lot of them," claims Kevin.
Said Kent Buckson, captain of the Rehoboth Beach Patrol, "This is the time of year when they start coming around. We're not seeing them in huge (numbers) now, but in a few weeks they'll start to fill the shoreline."
It is believed that the seasonal increase in water temperatures, combined with the strong currents, has encouraged the return of jellyfish, most of which are armed with toxic tentacles. Charles Epifanio, director of the School of Marine Science and Policy at the University of Delaware, says that there are primarily three occurrences that bring jellyfish into the area: the winds, currents and freshwater discharge from the Delaware River. He said, "Because they're not very good swimmers, they really can't go anywhere besides where the currents take them."
The most common species to be found on Delmarva beaches include the Lion's Mane, Chesapeake Bay Sea Nettle, Moon and Mushroom jellyfish. Epifanio said, "The Lion's Mane and the Nettles are the ones to look out for because they deliver the more painful stings. Mushroom and Moon jellies are big and they look awful, but their stings are much less painful."
"Jellyfish tentacles," Epifanio said, "Contain a stinging cell called nematocysts. Within the nematocysts are protein-based toxins carried by little things that look like harpoons, which are used for protection and catching prey." He added, "When the tentacles touch a foreign surface, like a human's skin or a small fish, those harpoons are fired."
On a more comforting note, Epifanio said that jellyfish do not mean to sting humans! "They don't have brains; the sting is an automatic response," he said. "They float around, dragging their tentacles, and when they encounter something, they sting. Humans are collateral damage."
The Rehoboth Beach Patrol treats a jellyfish sting by spraying a mixture of water and vinegar on the affected area. "After we spray the solution on it, the sting wears off in about 20 minutes," Buckson said. "It's not as painful as a bee sting, but you've got a bunch of little stingers inside your skin, and it's an uncomfortable feeling."
Epifanio said that Vinegar is the most effective treatment for jellyfish stings because it breaks down the proteins that cause the pain.
http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20100626/NEWS01/6260333
Learn more about Jellyfish, different Jellyfish Species, general Jellyfish Information, Jellyfish Pets and Jellyfish Safety