Thousands of jellyfish 'with nasty sting' invade UK as temperatures climb

Thousands of stinging jellyfishhave invaded Britain's beaches - triggered by the searing temperatures in recent days.

Beachgoers have reported seeing swarms ofcompass and moon jellyfish floating off the coast of Brixham, Devon a popular British beauty spot. Compass jellyfish - which can be identified by their distinctive compass-like brown markings - carry a nasty stingthat can cause a severe adverse reaction in some people.

They're not as dangerous as some other species found in UK waters, like the Portuguese Man-of-War, but the Wildlife Trust warns their "nasty sting" can lead to painful welts, rashes and swelling that can last for hours, or even days or weeks in some cases.

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Usually, they're found in the Mediterranean and Atlantic and are less commonly seen off the coast of the UK than moon jellyfish.

Tristan Northway, skipper of the Four Reasons charter boat, said the recent warm weather caused the bloom.

"There are thousands of them," he told What's The Jam. "And depending what direction the wind is, they will gather in places.

"There are all sorts of jellies including compass, comb jellyfish which are really cool, and moon jellyfish. Because they water is warmer now we are seeing a lot more of them

"They only live for six to 12 months."

The UK experienced the hottest day of the year on Tuesday as temperatures soared to 35C in some areas, with some believing the scorching conditions have ushered in jellyfish season.

The roasting temperatures are expected to last the rest of the month, potentially bringing more jellyfish to UK shores.

It comes after a marine biologist warned that jellyfish populations have "exploded" off the UK coast, adding that stingrays could be next.

As the waters off England, Ireland, Wales and even as far north as Scotland get warmer, they become a more favourable environment for the reproduction and survival of jellyfish, leading to a booming population of them in British and Irish seas - and even rivers.

In 2023, a report by the Marine Conservation Society revealed a 32 percent rise in jellyfish sightings in UK and Irish waters over 12 months, with 11% of those spotted coming in large blooms of over 100 individuals. That is an increase of 57% from the year before.

While the blobby creatures are fascinating to look at and wobble with a spade when they get marooned on the sand, they can, in many cases, deliver a painful sting to bathers. Although in the UK none are known to be fatal, they can seriously ruin a day at the beach.