Painful Creature Found on US Beaches – Immediate Discomfort After Touching

Bryan ChaiJune 3, 2023

Watch Out for Clinging Jellyfish on New Jersey Beaches

If you’re a fan of the Jersey shore (the actual beaches in New Jersey, not the TV show), be careful next time you visit. There could be a nasty surprise waiting for you, and you may not even notice until hours after you’ve left the beach.

Multiple outlets and watch groups in the Garden State are reporting that a nasty group of interlopers known as “clinging jellyfish” have returned to beaches. But there’s a new development that’s causing more concern than usual.

First clinging #jellyfish of the 2023 season from the north of Barnegat Bay NJ. Be careful out in the shallow vegetation.

— Paul A. X. Bologna (@MSUjellyfish) May 22, 2023

According to the New York Post, the jellyfish are only the size of a quarter and were first discovered in 2016. Their small size makes them particularly dangerous.

“These little guys, these clingers, live in grass beds and algae. So they’re in shallow water. So if you’re out there throwing the football in the shallow water, you may run into ’em. And because they’re so small, you might not even see them or notice them,” said Paul Bologna, a Montclair State University marine biologist who also runs the New Jersey Jellyspotters Facebook group.

The little critters aren’t just small, they feature 60 to 80 tentacles each. And it’s those tentacles that house a particularly nasty surprise for anyone who happens to come in contact with them. Those people just may not notice for a while.

“They’re kind of insidious because when you get stung, it’s not bad immediately, but four or five hours later the extreme pain starts to kick in,” Bologna added. The marine biologist likened the pain to bad full-body cramping.

They are bad news, but at least New Jersey has some experience dealing with them, since the state has been grappling with them for roughly seven years now.

Have You Ever Been Stung by a Jellyfish?

Have you ever been stung by a jellyfish?

Watch Out for Clinging Jellyfish on US Beaches

Have you ever been stung by a jellyfish?

Note: The results of this poll are not scientific and represent only the opinions of those who have chosen to participate.

If you’re planning a beach trip this summer, be on the lookout for the 2023 clinging jellyfish. According to WKXW, these jellyfish have traveled farther south in New Jersey than ever before. If you’re stung by one, the New Jersey government suggests cleaning the sting site with salt water and removing any lingering tentacle bits without touching them. Use a plastic card to flick or scrape off the tentacle bits. Seek medical attention if the pain doesn’t subside or worsens, as symptoms can range from severe pain to paralysis.