SUMMER OF STING

U.S. Beaches Overrun by Giant Toxic Creatures

Officials are urging beachgoers to steer clear of the jellyfish, whose tentacles can stretch up to 120 feet.

Officials are warning New England beachgoers to keep their distance from the thousands of giant lion’s mane jellyfish that have washed up along the region’s coast—even those that are already dead. The jellyfish, whose tentacles can reach 120 feet, have been spotted from Massachusetts’ North Shore to Cape Cod, Nantucket, and into parts of Maine, with one tour company saying marshes have been “inundated” by the species. Their long tentacles contain neurotoxins that can trigger intense burning pain, red welts, itching, muscle cramps, headaches, and nausea, and even detached tentacles can continue to sting for up to 25 days. Officials in Beverly, Massachusetts, have urged residents to keep children and pets away from stranded jellyfish, even if they appear lifeless. Marine experts say the bloom is the largest in the region since 2020, driven by unusually warm ocean temperatures, favorable tides and currents, and abundant food supplies. While beaches remain open, authorities are asking visitors to stay alert and to heed lifeguard warnings.