What is it?

[micki]

We saw many of these floating near shore and stranded on the sand this evening in Seacrest. Is this a jellyfish? If so, what kind? And, do they sting? If it's not a jellyfish, what is it? Colorful little guy about one inch in diameter without the fringe.

 

[Jdarg]

Oh I love these! Sometimes we see pink ones too- we imagine that they are boys and girls.

Still don't know what they are- sorry!

 

[Smiling JOe]

That is a "Blue Button." They aren't really a jelly fish, but rather an entire conglomerate of small animals called polyps. From what I've read, they don't sting.

 

[Mango]

Oh I love these! Sometimes we see pink ones too- we imagine that they are boys and girls.

Still don't know what they are- sorry!

At first I thought it was one of those blue jellyfish that you showed me on the beach once. Those sting don't they? It was a darker blue, almost irridescent, if I recall.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Mango,
I don't know what jdarg showed you, but the other two blue creatures which wash ashore in SoWal are the Portuguese Man of War and the By-the-Wind-Sailor (velella velella), neither of which are really jellyfish. The By-the-wind-sailor doesn't sting, but the Man of War does. The BTWSailor has more of a disc-like sail which catches the wind to move, while the Man of War has a bladder which it floats and rides the currents or waves. Otherwise, they look very similar.

 

[micki]

Another Jellyfish?

Mango,
I don't know what jdarg showed you, but the other two blue creatures which wash ashore in SoWal are the Portuguese Man of War and the By-the-Wind-Sailor (velella velella), neither of which are really jellyfish. The By-the-wind-sailor doesn't sting, but the Man of War does. The BTWSailor has more of a disc-like sail which catches the wind to move, while the Man of War has a bladder which it floats and rides the currents or waves. Otherwise, they look very similar.

OK - we also saw this one, but there was no way I was touching it!

Can you identify this one, JOe?

 

[Miss Kitty]

Thanks for the nature pics, Micki! That first one does remind me of the sex ed film from health class. ;-) Please keep posting your finds!

I bought the FL Audubon book at Sundog Books in Seaside at the suggestion of others. It sounds like something you would really enjoy!

 

[Jdarg]

OK - we also saw this one, but there was no way I was touching it!

Can you identify this one, JOe?

Man o'war?

 

[Ocean Lover]

Cool pics...the blue thing is really cool. I've never seen one.

 

[micki]

This one is definitely a man o' war

We couldn't tell about the earlier one, but this one is surely a man o' war. I was brave enough to pick it up on sticks. We buried it in the wet sand at Rosemary if anyone wants it.