Beach users in Burnham-On-Sea have this week been issued with a warning to watch out for jellyfish along tide lines during this week’s warm weather.
Barrel and Moon jellyfish, which can deliver a mild sting to paddlers and swimmers, have washed up along local beaches, as pictured here.
Reader Kathryn Evans took the photo above and adds: “We walked along the beach just as the tide was going back out and this big old jelly fish was there. As we walked further and the tide went further out there were hundreds of ‘jelly bubbles’ left on the sand.”
The sighting is an annual occurrence following periods of hot weather.
A Wildlife Trust spokesman said: “Jellyfish aren’t strong swimmers and do to some extent have to follow the prevailing currents and winds. A strong onshore wind can force jellyfish onto beaches and, as the tide retreats, the jellyfish are stranded.”
“Jellyfish also sometimes occur in very large numbers, known as blooms. In which case, a strong current or wind can cause the stranding of lots of jellyfish. These blooms are more likely to happen in the late spring and summer.”
“As the temperature and levels of sunlight rise and the amount of food (plankton) available increases, so does the jellyfish population.”
