MYRTLE BEACH, S.C (WBTW) — Multicolored purple, blue, and pink-like jellyfish creatures have washed up on multiple shorelines in Horry County recently.
Portuguese man-of-wars, similar to sea nettle jellyfish, have meters-long, venomous tentacles that shoot out and sting in defense when contacted.
The creatures are siphonophores, an animal that is made up of lots of tiny individual organisms to help it function. Residents and tourists in both Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach have shared photos of the animals on the shore while walking on the beach on Facebook.
North Myrtle Beach resident Melissa Green said she spotted her first one of the summer southbound by 10th Avenue in North Myrtle Beach after recognizing them from years prior. She said she was walking her dog Millie, like she normally does, when she was stopped abruptly by the jelly-like creature.
“You know. my dog, neither of us stepped on it, because I was barefoot, and she was just walking free,” Green said. “And, you know, it had its like, little tentacles that were there. So, yeah, that was when we saw it.”
Green said she will be more cautious while walking on the beach to avoid any other close encounters.
Ripley’s Aquarium curator Becca Thomas said that if someone encounters a man-of-war, they should admire from afar. Not only stay safe, but to also respect the animal’s home.
She said if you are stung by the animal to put hot water and vinegar on it to denature the venom, though she said it will still sting for a while — similar to being stung by a jellyfish.
“So, the tentacles have a really serious venomous punch,” Thomas said. “So, if you get in contact with them, it’s just an automatic response from the jellyfish. It releases a spine basically that shoots you and will sting you.”
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Gabby Jonas joined the News13 team as a multimedia journalist in April 2024. She is from Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Kent State University in May 2023. Follow Gabby on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, and read more of her work here.
