KILLER jellyfish-like creatures able to inflict permanent scars through their sting have been spotted on a popular beach.
Tourists heading up to the Jersey beach been warned to watch out for the deadly Portuguese Man O-War.
AlamyPortuguese man o’ war jellyfish has been spotted in St Ouen Bay, Jersey[/caption]
The dangerous purple jellyfish can cause severe pain if touched
The nasty critters have been spotted washed up ashore in St Ouen’s Bay.
The rare man o-war looks like a deflated balloon with long blue tentacles that can stretch almost 30 feet
People are urged to watch out as the predators’ tentacles can wrap around unsuspecting swimmers.
Long polyps contain invisible capsules loaded with dangerous venom able to kill small fish and crustaceans.
Although it’s rarely deadly to people, the powerful sting can cause an allergic reaction resulting in painful scars and welts on exposed skin.
Resembling a Portuguese warship under full sail the man o’war can be easily confused for a jellyfish.
But unlike the small creatures, this one can be blue, violet or pink and it can lurk up to six inches above the waterline.
Originally from the Caribbean, they have been dragged along the North Atlantic ocean to the coastline posing severe risks to beachgoers.
Islanders are urged not to touch them and report any sightings to the Environment Department.
Jersey Department of Health said the pain from a Portuguese man-o-war sting typically lasts 15 to 20 minutes and it should be treated it differently to a jellyfish sting.
People stung are advised to rinse the area with vinegar or hot water with a hot pack for 45 minutes to remove the tentacles.
Experts are urging to never use urine to relieve the sting as it can make it worse and cause a severe infection.
Instead, the wound should be treated with anaesthetic gels or pain relief creams.
The warning comes as another painful jellyfish was spotted in Irish beaches.
The Irish Coast Guard urged swimmers to be vigilant when visiting beaches after it received reports of people being stung by Lion’s Mane Jellyfish.
What is Portuguese Man o’ War and why are they so dangerous?
The man o’war is not a true jellyfish but a colony made up of small individual animals called polyps that are unable to survive alone.
Portuguese man o’ war – also known as the floating terror – have an extremely powerful sting that on rare occasions can kill.
The sea creatures (Physalia physalis) are not true jellyfish but siphonophores.
These are colonies of hydrozoans – lots of tiny marine organisms living together and behaving collectively as one animal.
They get their name from the balloon-like “sail” that floats above the water, which was said to resemble a type of 18th century warship.
Unable to move independently, the creature floats on the surface and is propelled by a balloon-like ‘sail.’
Its tentacles can be more than 30 metres long and they deliver a painful sting causing whip-like red welts on human skin.
Stings are not usually fatal but can provoke an allergic-type reaction in some cases, while urgent medical attention might be needed if a person comes into contact with many tentacles.
Instances where a tentacle becomes wrapped around the victim’s torso are said to cause the most deaths, especially in children.
The polyps can detach from the body of the man o’war and float for several days while remaining venomous.
Brushing against one can lead to an agonising and potentially lethal sting.
A stranded Portuguese man o’ war looks a bit like a deflating purple balloon about the size of a Cornish pasty with blue ribbons attached.
They drift on the ocean currents and every year they wash up in their thousands on beaches from Britain to Australia.