Jellyfish arrive at the Delaware beaches every year around this time, but this year, it feels like a full-on invasion.
Delaware Online/The News Journal reached out to Delaware beach patrol captains to find out what they’re seeing. This year, in Lewes and Rehoboth Beach and at Delaware State Parks, jellyfish arrived earlier and in bigger numbers than usual, the captains said.
It’s especially a problem in Lewes. Beach Patrol Captain Strohm Edwards has seen more jellyfish this year than any other.
“Correspondingly, we’ve experienced a sharp rise in stings,” Edwards said. “Our numbers have more than tripled compared to last year, with the majority of cases occurring within just the past four weeks.”
A lion’s mane jellyfish on the oceanside beach at Cape Henlopen State Park.
Last year, the Lewes Beach Patrol treated about 270 jellyfish stings. This year, by July 25, they had treated nearly 900, Edwards said. The uptick is caused by warmer water, according to Edwards, which explains why Lewes appears to be most affected. The Delaware Bay’s water is warmer than the Atlantic Ocean.
Which beaches are affected?
If Lewes has it the worst, though, other Delaware beaches aren’t far behind. Rehoboth Beach Patrol Captain Jeff Giles said his guards are treating over 100 beachgoers a day for jellyfish stings.
“(Jellyfish stings) usually start in mid-July as the waters warm and the southern current increases,” Giles said. “This summer it started earlier, at the beginning of July.”
A moon jelly.
Delaware State Parks officials don’t keep jellyfish sting statistics, but Beach Patrol Captain Bailey Noel said his guards have seen a significant increase, as well. They’re responsible for Cape Henlopen, Delaware Seashore, and Fenwick Island State Park beaches.
Dewey Beach bucked the trend: Beach Patrol Captain Todd Fritchman said the number of jellyfish there is normal for this time of year.
Rehoboth Beach: No protest, only counter-protest, at Goolee’s Grille
What kind of jellyfish are in Delaware waters?
According to a Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control social media post, Delaware beachgoers are most likely to find moon, lion’s mane and nettle jellyfish.
Moon jellyfish are transparent and white, identifiable by four distinct circles at the top of their bell. DNREC rates their sting as “mild.”
Vacationing?: Everything you need to know this week at the Delaware beaches
Lion’s manes are the largest known jellyfish species in the world, according to DNREC, with the largest recorded bell spanning 7.5 feet. The ones you see at the Delaware beaches are typically smaller, between 2 and 6 inches in diameter, and they’re often streaked with maroon or magenta. DNREC rated their sting as “strong to severe” and called it “intensely painful,” though not fatal.
There are two types of nettle jellyfish, bay and sea, corresponding to their location. Recently, former University of Delaware biologist Keith Bayha’s research determined the nettle in the Delaware Bay are a species distinct from those in the Chesapeake Bay. Nettle is typically whitish, sometimes with maroon or purple spots or steaks, and DNREC rated their sting “strong to severe.”
Bay nettle.
DNREC also mentions sea walnuts. They look like tentacle-less jellyfish, but they’re actually harmless comb jellies. You likely won’t notice them unless you go looking. They’re fist-shaped and sized and can appear bioluminescent, but it’s just light refracting off their cilia.
When will the jellyfish go away?
Delaware waters will only get warmer in August and September, so the transparent, tentacled creatures won’t likely be leaving anytime soon, Noel said.
Is there any way to avoid being stung?
“Unfortunately, no,” Noel said. “Jellyfish are in the ocean and with the increase in numbers it’s almost inevitable that a sting will happen during your swim.”
A sea walnut.
Edwards recommended wearing a rash guard, and Giles recommended a wetsuit to minimize the risk.
How should I treat a jellyfish sting?
Delaware Beach patrol captains have various recommendations for treating stings: vinegar, shaving cream and meat tenderizer. If it’s particularly bad, Benadryl can help, some said.
And no, folks, urine doesn’t help a jellyfish sting.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Invasion of the jellyfish at the Delaware beaches: What to know