Sting alert after beach discovery
POTENTIALLY deadly Portuguese man o’ war have been spotted washed up on a west Wales beach.
The venomous creature has been spotted on Cefn Sidan Beach, Pembrey, as well as other beaches locally.
Man o’ war have tentacle-like polyps that can give an agonising and potentially lethal sting if touched.
In a warning on social media, Pembrey County Park said: “Portuguese man o’ war have been washed up on Cefn Sidan and other local beaches.
“These jellyfish-like creatures give a painful sting that can be fatal even when they are dead. Do not touch. Avoid walking barefoot. Keep your dog away.
“If you or your dog are stung and experience severe or lasting pain seek medical or veterinary attention immediately.”
Local resident Andrea Williams said: “They [the jellyfish] have been washing up on the beach for years and years. I am 58, and can remember this happening from childhood. I’d say it starts to happen in summer, and you would see them in a line as far as the eye could see.
“It’s not unusual to see them this time of year.”
The deadly jellyfish has also been sighted in Pembrokeshire.
Carla Jackles also shared a picture of a man o’ war washed up on Freshwater Beach.
Cardigan Bay Marine Wildelife Centre also shared a warning on social media.
The Portuguese man o’ war, also known as blue bottle is not actually a jellyfish, but a close cousin of the species.
It is a siphonophore, which is a colony of very small organisms of the same species that attach to one another to survive.
The Portuguese man o’ war are normally found in the Atlantic, and are often found in groups floating in the Atlantic ocean with their gasfilled clear float.
These “jellyfish” use their venomous tentacles which can reach immense lengths, up to 160ft, to paralyse and catch fish and other small prey.
Their stings normally only cause humans welts that appear whip-like, and last until a few days after the initial sting. The pain of the sting should normally subside after a few hours.
Stings have been known to kill humans, as occasionally the venom travels to the lymph nodes and causes symptoms that mimic an allergic reaction.
A spokesperson from the Welsh Wildlife Trust said: “If members of the public spot man o’ war on the beaches we would advise to admire them from a distance as they can still sting!”