The scorn is not without warrant; they do, after all, sting the bejesus out of unsuspecting beachgoers, especially now as temperatures rise in the bay's brackish waters.
But take some time to consider jellyfish, said Deborah Steinberg, a professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester Point, and those hard feelings may drift away.
Unlike other feared marine predators, such as sharks, jellyfish travel where currents take them. Sometimes this is far from shore, other times its near docks, beaches and other summertime destinations.
Although eyeless, jellyfish can detect light. Combined with a limited sense of chemicals and touch, this is what they use for guidance. There is little, if any, evidence to suggest the bay's jellyfish seek human flesh.
By and large, jellyfish sting to protect themselves from perceived threats, Steinberg said.
"It's mostly by accident," she said. "They're thinking, 'Whoa, what is that? I need to defend myself.'"
Known for producing painful, burning welts, the sting is essentially a poisened dart fired from the jellyfish's trailing arms. Jellyfish use the poison, actually a protein, to paralyze their prey, which consists of small fish, shrimp and other jellyfish.
Like mosquitoes, the weather plays a large role in determining how many will appear in the bay. Hot and dry conditions, such as those last month, make the water warm and salty — an ideal combination for jellyfish growth.
Yet the number of reported stings, at least in Gloucester and Yorktown, is down from last year, according to representatives from each locality. York County treated 83 people on July 4, a 52 percent decline from last year.
Most jellyfish will disappear near summer's end, when they die or retreat under water to reproduce. There is a winter species, but it doesn't sting.
When jellyfish sting
Three types of jellyfish make their home in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The most common, known as the sea nettle, is reviled for stinging beachgoers.
If stung, wash the affected area and apply vinegar to it. If there is no vinegar, try rubbing sand on it. If pain continues, take an aspiran or seek medical attention.
NOTE: In all my years of swimming with kids and tending jellyfish stings I found that wet sand would work and so did Adolph's Meat Tenderizer.
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