Swarms of beautiful compass jellyfish are turning up on the Welsh coast as temperatures rise in the summer months. With striking orange and brown markings, many were spotted on a Pembrokeshire beach at the weekend prompting people to ask what they were.
The compass jellyfish - or Chrysaora hysoscella to give its scientific name - gets its name from the distinctive brown markings which look just like a compass. But while they may indeed look beautiful, they can give a nasty sting so it's best to admire them from a distance.
Usually a translucent yellowish-white jellyfish, the brown markings atop the bell resemble a compass, with V shapes radiating out from a central point. They are a common sight in Welsh waters between the months of May and October when the sea temperature is in double digits.
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By July the sea temperature in Pembrokeshire reaches 14°C and will peak at just over 15°C in September. Typically 30cm across, the compass jellyfish feeds on small fish, crabs and even other jellyfish.
Their sting packs a punch and is slightly stronger than many of the more milder jellyfish species. The compass jellyfish has a bunch of frilled oral arms below the bell and long thin marginal tentacles around the fringe of the bell.
Once they've stung something, they often leave the tentacle behind and can continue to sting using it even when not connected to their body.
You can report your jellyfish sightings to the Marine Conservation Society at www.mcsuk.org. For treatment of jellyfish stings you can find NHS advice here.
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