![]() ![]() They aren't goodie bags left behind by a spring breaker.ĭistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Sometimes they look like a blue plastic bag floating on a wave or discarded on the sand. Let a lifeguard know if you see them around. If you see flags posted on the shore warning of man o' war, keep alert. If they tell you to get out of the water, do so. Get medical attention if you are feeling lightheaded, dizzy or having trouble breathing. This will reduce swelling and pain, which generally should subside after 30 minutes or so. You can also use an object, like a stick or utensil, to get the tentacles off and away from you. Instead, wash them off with salt water and not fresh water because fresh could cause the sting to become more intense, according to oceanic experts. Don't pluck them off with your bare hands lest you get stung there, too. Even when the man o' war washes up on the sand and bakes on the beach for weeks, those long blue tentacles contain venom. That said, the sting, which will cause red welts and sometimes fever and nausea, can cause an allergic reaction in some people and in rare cases, heart failure, MDFR Ocean Rescue warns. Our body mass is larger than that of a small fish so the man o' war sting is rarely deadly to people. Those tentacles are what you especially don't want to come into contact with because they contain stinging nematocysts-"microscopic capsules loaded with coiled, barbed tubes that deliver venom capable of paralyzing and killing small fish and crustaceans," NOAA says. ![]() Under the floating bubble-a gas-filled bladder-you'll find long strands of tentacles and polyps that can grow to an average of 30 feet and may extend by as much as 100 feet, NOAA says. The float can be blue, violet or pink and looms up to six inches above the waterline or shoreline once washed up on the beach. The man o' war, which likes warmer waters in the tropics, has a balloon-like float and its colors can vary. The Atlantic Portuguese man o war or Blue bottle jellyfish washed up on the beach, Miami, Florida. They are propelled by the wind and sea currents. Portuguese Man-O-War Jellyfish Stock Photo. The Portugues man o' war resembles 18th-century Portuguese warships under full sail, according to NOAA. The Portuguese man o' war is often called a jellyfish, but is actually a species of siphonophore, a group of animals that are closely related to jellyfish, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Ocean Rescue has sent a warning about "this unwelcomed visitor" as strong winds and currents brought man-o-war to South Florida beaches.īeachgoers have noticed the man o' war in Miami-Dade and Broward, including the Crandon Beach, South Beach and Hollywood shorelines. These sea creatures are best viewed from afar because they have tentacles-and even when the creatures lie immobile on the beach, they've enough juice to sting. Spring is also often about the return of Portuguese man o' war. Spring on South Florida beaches is not just for spring breakers and swimmers. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |