A rare jellyfish that has been terrorizing beaches along
Long Island and New Jersey
beaches is not expected to
affect Hudson Valley beaches.
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Over the weekend, a smack of jellyfish
washed ashore from Jones Beach to Robert Moses – leaving scores of beachgoers
with stings.
Wendy
Rosenbach, of the New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation, says it should be OK to swim
here this weekend. “The mauve
stinger is a warm water oceanic species and not a jellyfish we expect to see
often in New York’s nearshore coastal waters and it is even less likely in
“inland waters” like the Long Island Sound or Hudson River. Recent wind and
oceanic currents drove a large number of mauve stingers to New Jersey and the
south shore of Long Island where they interacted with bathers. This could also
happen in Westchester, but it is not likely. Bathers in the Long Island Sound
and Hudson are far more likely to encounter lion’s mane jellyfish which are
regular visitors to the area and also sting.”
Experts say the purple and
red spotted mauve stingers are particularly nasty since they have sting
receptors on their crowns in addition to their tentacles.
Officials have not had to close any region beaches yet because of the jellyfish and their
sting is more annoying and painful than life threatening. EMTs say pouring
vinegar on the sting is a good way to reduce the pain.