Warmer water means more jellyfish

Credit to: Coastal Point, Susan Canfora

Moon jellyfish captured by  (Mahaffie, Mike, DNREC)

More jellyfish on our beaches this summer has meant an increase in stings. But, generally, the pain doesn’t last long and can be eased by piling on sand or asking a lifeguard for antiseptic, Bethany Beach Patrol Capt. Joe Donnelly said this week — adding, with a laugh, that he doesn’t endorse the old wives’ tale of applying urine.

“No, I wouldn’t recommend that, but meat tenderizer is a good old standby,” he said.

“The water has been a lot warmer,” Donnelly explained. “They are out there. We haven’t seen them too bad in Bethany Beach. Maybe a day or two here. Dewey Beach, Rehoboth, the state parks, are getting them a lot worse. North of the inlet is worse. We get a sting here and there, but we don’t see it much,” he said.

While jellyfish are a nuisance, for most people, the stinging subsides in 10 or 15 minutes, Donnelly said.

“There may be a little bit more this year than last year. North of us, they seem to get jellyfish a little more consistently. Maybe it has something to do with the inlet or being closer to the bay. They go with the flow of the water, so if we get an onshore wind, they will get pushed to shore. If we get more of a west wind, they get pushed out. They go with the flow of the water. We have had a lot of onshore wind this year,” Donnelly said.

DNREC’s Capt. Bailey Noel told the Coastal Point there has been a “noticeable increase in jellyfish sightings and stings on Delaware beaches this year,” but statistics on their presence and stings to humans aren’t kept. According to online reports, there have been 550 stings so far this year in Lewes, compared to 270 in 2024.

“There have been numerous reports of stings across our beaches this season,” Noel confirmed. “Lifeguards have been informing beachgoers about the increased jellyfish presence and related precautions to take against getting stung by them. While jellyfish typically appear along Delaware’s coast from late July through mid-August, this year we are seeing a significant surge much earlier than usual. Warmer-than-average ocean temperatures, combined with favorable weather conditions, have created an ideal environment for jellyfish.”

He recommended wearing rash guards or swim shirts to protect arms and torsos and, in areas with high jellyfish concentrations, to avoid swimming in the ocean temporarily — “particularly for those who have been stung before, or who are more sensitive to getting stung.”

“If a swimmer is stung, they should exit the water immediately,” Noel advised. “Gently remove any visible tentacles or stingers using a pair of tweezers, if possible. Rinse the affected area with hot water. A solution of vinegar and water is also commonly used to help neutralize the sting and provide relief. Come talk to your lifeguards about having been stung or your concerns about jellyfish in the area.”

Jellyfish have existed for more than 500 million years, living on earth before dinosaurs, according to the Smithsonian Magazine website. Planktonic marine members of the class scyphozoa, they don’t have brains, hearts, bones or lungs, but have a nervous system with 10,000 neurons in the body to identify light and other changes in the water. A type of plankton, they are related to sea anemones and corals.

The Mayo Clinic website (www.mayoclinic.org) explains that the stings are caused by brushing against a jellyfish tentacle, which has thousands of barbed stingers, with each stinger having “a tiny bulb that holds venom and a coiled, sharp-tipped tube.”

“When you brush against a tentacle, tiny triggers on its surface release the stingers. The tube pierces the skin and releases venom. It affects the area of contact and may enter the bloodstream. Jellyfish that have washed up on a beach may still release venomous stingers if touched,” the website states.