A bloom of jellyfish washed up on a Welsh beach has sent shivers through locals, with one being so big it was mistaken for an Octopus. Startled walkers came across the stranded creature on the Dyfi estuary foreshore at Aberdyfi, Gwynedd reports North Wales Live.
Three similar but smaller jellyfish were also found nearby on the coast, prompting a mix of dread and fascination from people in the area as well as those planning a visit. When local resident Steve Bowers shared a photo of the jellyfish on social media, one visitor planning a trip said “I’m cancelling!!!!” while another woman said: “Omg! Now that’s put me off ever going back in the water here again!!!!”.
Rubbing his eyes at the size of the creature, one man confessed he initially thought it was an octopus. Similarly stunned was a woman who said: “Wow! That’s awesome! Certainly getting bigger here and in Tywyn.”
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Like seaside towns along much of the Welsh coast, Aberdyfi has its fair share of jellyfish and most rarely cause any problems. But to see one of this size washed up has stunned the locals.
Mr Bowers estimated that the creature’s dome-shaped bell was around 2ft (60cm) across. Despite social media speculation that it was a Lion’s Mane jellyfish, the world’s second-longest animal, this is thought unlikely - Mr Bowers identified it as a large Barrel jellyfish.
“It was just a larger version of the smaller, “standard’ grey ones around it,” he told North Wales Live. “Its redness was quite unusual, I haven’t seen one like that at all before.
“I regularly wander along the beach and this was easily the largest I’ve come across. It certainly took me by surprise!”
Barrel jellyfish swarm in warmer coastal waters in late spring to feed on plankton. Often they wash up on beaches in May or June after underestimating tides and wave strengths.
They have eight frilly arms, which contain small stinging tentacles and hundreds of little mouths. Given the size of the Aberdyfi giant, it left some residents worried. “Wow, that looks like it could kill someone if they got stung by it,” said a woman.
In fact, barrel jellyfish stings are not normally harmful to humans. They can sting while dead but the sensation is usually mild – sometimes the stings are itchy and some people don’t feel them at all.
Barrel jellyfish are common in the Irish Sea. According to the North Wales Wildlife Trust, they typically grow up to 40cm in diameter, about the size of dustbin lids. Hence their common name – dustbin-lid jellyfish. In exceptional cases, in deep waters, they can reach 150cm, making them the largest jellyfish in British waters. But they do have a fearsome predator – Barrel jellyfish are the favorite food of leatherback turtles, the world’s largest sea turtle.
Given the size of the Aberdyfi Barrel jellyfish, perhaps other “monsters” might be lurking. “If there are more like that around, it could be good for turtles this year," said a local. Aberdyfi’s giant was washed up more or less intact. It was assumed to have been swept back out on the next high tide.
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