District free so far of bluebottle jellyfish plaguing west coast beaches

So far so good this summer when it comes to bluebottle jellyfish on Tairāwhiti beaches, but experts reckon it will only be a matter of time before they start to turn up. File picture

Bluebottle jellyfish have turned up at some beaches around the country since early December, but so far so good when it comes to them arriving on Tairāwhiti beaches.

In other parts of New Zealand like the west coast of Auckland, Raglan and Nelson, Surf Life Saving NZ has seen an increase in people being stung by the venomous sea creature.

“Bluebottles are not deadly to humans, but they can cause intense pain which can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours,” an SLSNZ spokesman said.

“They can cause a nasty rash and an allergic reaction.

“The most important thing you can do is remove the bluebottle’s stinger tail as quickly as you can.”

Lifeguards at Wainui, which can be prone to them, yesterday reported no sign of them so far this summer.

However the strong south-easterly winds yesterday may have brought some inshore and the public should keep an eye out for them.

Niwa emeritus researcher and jellyfish expert Dr Dennis Gordon said it was common to start seeing more jellyfish at the beach at this time of the year as they followed their food source.

“As soon as the days start to get longer and there’s more daylight, you get a bloom of more plankton.

“When there is more plant plankton, there’s more animal plankton, which means you get more shrimps and things — and jellyfish feed on those small crustaceans,” Dr Gordon said.

“Symptoms of a jellyfish sting include the sting site turning purple or red, tingling or numbness, and a burning sensation on the skin.

“The surface of tentacles is covered in thousands of microscopic stinger cells (nematocysts) that simultaneously inject their venom when they come into contact with skin.

“Those who do plan on getting in the water should be cautious and wear a wetsuit if it is known that there may be jellyfish in the area.

“Most stings are not serious but the treatment is the same.

“We discourage people from using urine on a sting as it could make the pain worse,” Dr Gordon said.

Instead he said anyone stung should flush the sting area with seawater, use a dry towel to remove tentacles, immerse the stung area in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes, and use pain relief or antihistamines if needed.

“Jellyfish are enchanting, delicate creatures that should be appreciated, just not too close.”