Centre for Environmental Data and Recording, 2018. Ulster Museum Marine Surveys of Northern Ireland Coastal Waters. Occurrence dataset https://www.nmni.com/CEDaR/CEDaR-Centre-for-Environmental-Data-and-Recording.aspx accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-25. Cofnod – North Wales Environmental Information Service, 2018. Miscellaneous records held on the Cofnod database. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/hcgqsi accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25.

Fife Nature Records Centre, 2018. St Andrews BioBlitz 2014. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/erweal accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-27. If people do get stung, any tentacles attached to the skin should be removed and the area washed with salt or fresh water. To find out if there are jellyfish sightings in your local area, visit the Marine Conservation Society. They have a jellyfish watch so people can report their sightings and a map with recent sightings on. Jellyfish in Cornish Waters

Velella is blue in colour and has a very distinctive triangular sail on top of a circular base under which hang small tentacle. It floats on the surface of the sea and is blown by the wind. The only species to be concerned about as a swimmer is the Portuguese Man o War. These are in a different group to the ones outlined above and can produce quite severe reactions in humans, they can have very long tentacles extending out from the float and main body. These occur in small numbers most years and usually in the autumn. However in some years they are extremely abundant.” (SB) We don’t really know how long they live for or whether they can survive over a winter. We have heard anecdotally of fishermen pulling jellyfish up from deeper waters during trawls in February so suspect they enter into some sort of rested state over the winter, but at this point we don’t really know. This would also be different for various species.” (VH) Jelly pots are sure to make a fun addition to your little one’s lunch. If jelly isn’t for you, you can’t go wrong with some ice cream. For those on the hunt for a decadent dessert to finish off your meals with, we’ve got a great selection of cake slices. And have a look at our frozen cheesecakes for a rich and creamy delight. Don’t forget to grab some doughnuts and pies while you set the table for your breakfasts and brunches.

There are several jellyfish species that occur regularly in Cornish waters plus a few odd closely related things. The good news is, most of them are harmless and there are only a couple of species which sting. We outline the identifying characteristics of all of these species below. Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia Aurita) It’s difficult to know whether we are seeing more or less jellyfish today because people can report them more now. Generally the numbers wax and wane from year to year. It is normal for jellyfish numbers to peak during summer and autumn which is why we’re seeing lots of them at the moment.” (VH) Jellyfish stinging cells are like a harpoon. When they’re triggered the harpoon fires out and administers the toxins. On the first touch only about a third of them will fire, so even when tumbled through the surf some but not all may be activated. This means that even if they’re washed up dead they can still sting, though it is likely to be less severe. Mainly the stinging cells are found on the tentacles, but with barrel jellyfish there are stinging cells on the mucus as well. The top of the bell is generally fine and it’s rare that humans can feel their sting, but I still wouldn’t recommend touching them at all.” (VH)Environmental Records Information Centre North East, 2018.ERIC NE Combined dataset to 2017. Occurrence dataset: http://www.ericnortheast.org.ukl accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-38 Q & A: Your Questions Answered by Professor Bearhop and Dr Hobson Are there any reasons I shouldn’t go in when there are jellyfish? National Trust, 2017. National Trust Species Records. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/opc6g1 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01. Also known as the dustbin lid jellyfish, this species is found mostly around the west and south coasts of the British Isles, although they can also show up around the Welsh coast and elsewhere in around the UK from time to time. They are also found throughout European waters, especially in the Mediterranean. They are a large jellyfish species, reaching up to a metre across in exceptional specimens, although they are usually half this size in British waters. The usual colour is white to pale yellow. This species of jellyfish is easily identified by its domed bell upper section and trailing tentacles, the upper portions of which are often referred to as resembling the appearance of a cauliflower. The barrel jellyfish feeds by catching plankton and microscopic mid-water crustaceans in its tentacles as it floats through the water. Like most jellyfish species the barrel jellyfish is much more likely to be found in British waters in the warmer months of the year. It can occur in vast swarms and if there are strong westerly and south-westerly winds blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean in the late summer and autumn months, huge numbers are stranded along the South West and Welsh coastlines, although this is rare.

We think that jellyfish stay actively in a particular area. Whether there is some movement locally, for example from the south to the north coast of Cornwall, we are unsure. It’s unlikely they cover long distances on a big scale, other than if they’re transported via a storm, however we can’t be certain. There are differences genetically between species from various parts of the world, which lends towards this hypothesis.” (VH) Jellyfish come under a group called cnidarians and are invertebrate multicellular beings. They’ve been around for approximately 500 million years since the dinosaurs and are one of the earliest life forms that formed in the oceans. They eat a variety of different things from plankton to fish. Generally the more vicious the sting, the bigger the thing they eat. For example, the Portuguese Man-o-War eat fish so they have quite a nasty sting to immobilise their prey, whereas things like the moon jellyfish eat plankton so they don’t need a nasty sting.” (VH) Fife Nature Records Centre, 2018. St Andrews BioBlitz 2015. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/xtrbvy accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-27. Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service., 2017. Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service (SBIS) Dataset. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/ab4vwo accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.Marine Conservation Society, 2018.UK Jellyfish Sightings from 2003 to 2015.Occurrence dataset: https://www.mcsuk.org/ accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-10-01.