Hundreds of jellyfish were seen close to the shore at Bahar ic-Caghaq yesterday, as many swimmers fear that a new wave of the purple menace will spoil their summer.

The Malta Independent had already reported the sightings of a large amount of jellyfish on 16 April, but back then it was still too cold for a swim. Now that summer is practically with us, and temperatures rise, people are concerned that they will not be able to spend a day at the beach without risking an uncomfortable sting or two.

Last month, the jellyfish were smaller and most of them were dead, but this time there were still many of them that were alive, swimming away as normal.

Many were washed ashore and died in the heat of the sun, while others still made a tasty meal for the crabs that were out in force to take the easy pickings. What is for sure is that the hundreds that were seen yesterday at Bahar ic-Caghaq – and possibly in other places along the shore – were not pleasant news for swimmers.

It is not the first time that Malta has been hit by a wave of jellyfish. Past summers have also been spoilt by their presence in great numbers. There is little one can do to avoid a sting – except to stay on land. But this is not what swimmers really want in the hot summer weather we experience.

The beaching of jellyfish is a phenomenon that sometimes occurs in the Mediterranean, although there is no real explanation. Jellyfish can, of course, swim.

It is thought that these jellyfish are of the common variety – the pelagia noctiluca – which grow to some six centimetres in length. It is one of the few species that do not have a polypoid phase.

In Greek, “pelagia” means “of the sea”, “nocti” means “night” and “luca” means light, thus pelagia noctiluca can be described as a marine organism with the ability to glow in the dark.

This species of jellyfish, commonly known as the mauve stinger, among many other common names, is widely distributed in all warm and temperate waters such as the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. However, there have also been some sightings of this species in Hawaii.

Malta has suffered in the past from huge invasions of these strange aline-like creatures in summer – causing headaches for swimmers and bathers, who sometimes cannot even get into the water as there are too many of the creatures.

Some attribute these invasions to the declining population of turtles – whose staple diet is, in fact, jellyfish. Others argue that it is a natural phenomenon that will not stop occurring while still others claim that it could be related to ship movements, pollution or climate change.

(source wikipedia)Hundreds of jellyfish were seen close to the shore at Bahar ic-Caghaq yesterday, as many swimmers fear that a new wave of the purple menace will spoil their summer.

The Malta Independent had already reported the sightings of a large amount of jellyfish on 16 April, but back then it was still too cold for a swim. Now that summer is practically with us, and temperatures rise, people are concerned that they will not be able to spend a day at the beach without risking an uncomfortable sting or two.

Last month, the jellyfish were smaller and most of them were dead, but this time there were still many of them that were alive, swimming away as normal.

Many were washed ashore and died in the heat of the sun, while others still made a tasty meal for the crabs that were out in force to take the easy pickings. What is for sure is that the hundreds that were seen yesterday at Bahar ic-Caghaq – and possibly in other places along the shore – were not pleasant news for swimmers.

It is not the first time that Malta has been hit by a wave of jellyfish. Past summers have also been spoilt by their presence in great numbers. There is little one can do to avoid a sting – except to stay on land. But this is not what swimmers really want in the hot summer weather we experience.

The beaching of jellyfish is a phenomenon that sometimes occurs in the Mediterranean, although there is no real explanation. Jellyfish can, of course, swim.

It is thought that these jellyfish are of the common variety – the pelagia noctiluca – which grow to some six centimetres in length. It is one of the few species that do not have a polypoid phase.

In Greek, “pelagia” means “of the sea”, “nocti” means “night” and “luca” means light, thus pelagia noctiluca can be described as a marine organism with the ability to glow in the dark.

This species of jellyfish, commonly known as the mauve stinger, among many other common names, is widely distributed in all warm and temperate waters such as the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. However, there have also been some sightings of this species in Hawaii.

Malta has suffered in the past from huge invasions of these strange aline-like creatures in summer – causing headaches for swimmers and bathers, who sometimes cannot even get into the water as there are too many of the creatures.

Some attribute these invasions to the declining population of turtles – whose staple diet is, in fact, jellyfish. Others argue that it is a natural phenomenon that will not stop occurring while still others claim that it could be related to ship movements, pollution or climate change.

(source wikipedia)Hundreds of jellyfish were seen close to the shore at Bahar ic-Caghaq yesterday, as many swimmers fear that a new wave of the purple menace will spoil their summer.

The Malta Independent had already reported the sightings of a large amount of jellyfish on 16 April, but back then it was still too cold for a swim. Now that summer is practically with us, and temperatures rise, people are concerned that they will not be able to spend a day at the beach without risking an uncomfortable sting or two.

Last month, the jellyfish were smaller and most of them were dead, but this time there were still many of them that were alive, swimming away as normal.

Many were washed ashore and died in the heat of the sun, while others still made a tasty meal for the crabs that were out in force to take the easy pickings. What is for sure is that the hundreds that were seen yesterday at Bahar ic-Caghaq – and possibly in other places along the shore – were not pleasant news for swimmers.

It is not the first time that Malta has been hit by a wave of jellyfish. Past summers have also been spoilt by their presence in great numbers. There is little one can do to avoid a sting – except to stay on land. But this is not what swimmers really want in the hot summer weather we experience.

The beaching of jellyfish is a phenomenon that sometimes occurs in the Mediterranean, although there is no real explanation. Jellyfish can, of course, swim.

It is thought that these jellyfish are of the common variety – the pelagia noctiluca – which grow to some six centimetres in length. It is one of the few species that do not have a polypoid phase.

In Greek, “pelagia” means “of the sea”, “nocti” means “night” and “luca” means light, thus pelagia noctiluca can be described as a marine organism with the ability to glow in the dark.

This species of jellyfish, commonly known as the mauve stinger, among many other common names, is widely distributed in all warm and temperate waters such as the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. However, there have also been some sightings of this species in Hawaii.

Malta has suffered in the past from huge invasions of these strange aline-like creatures in summer – causing headaches for swimmers and bathers, who sometimes cannot even get into the water as there are too many of the creatures.

Some attribute these invasions to the declining population of turtles – whose staple diet is, in fact, jellyfish. Others argue that it is a natural phenomenon that will not stop occurring while still others claim that it could be related to ship movements, pollution or climate change.

(source wikipedia)Hundreds of jellyfish were seen close to the shore at Bahar ic-Caghaq yesterday, as many swimmers fear that a new wave of the purple menace will spoil their summer.

The Malta Independent had already reported the sightings of a large amount of jellyfish on 16 April, but back then it was still too cold for a swim. Now that summer is practically with us, and temperatures rise, people are concerned that they will not be able to spend a day at the beach without risking an uncomfortable sting or two.

Last month, the jellyfish were smaller and most of them were dead, but this time there were still many of them that were alive, swimming away as normal.

Many were washed ashore and died in the heat of the sun, while others still made a tasty meal for the crabs that were out in force to take the easy pickings. What is for sure is that the hundreds that were seen yesterday at Bahar ic-Caghaq – and possibly in other places along the shore – were not pleasant news for swimmers.

It is not the first time that Malta has been hit by a wave of jellyfish. Past summers have also been spoilt by their presence in great numbers. There is little one can do to avoid a sting – except to stay on land. But this is not what swimmers really want in the hot summer weather we experience.

The beaching of jellyfish is a phenomenon that sometimes occurs in the Mediterranean, although there is no real explanation. Jellyfish can, of course, swim.

It is thought that these jellyfish are of the common variety – the pelagia noctiluca – which grow to some six centimetres in length. It is one of the few species that do not have a polypoid phase.

In Greek, “pelagia” means “of the sea”, “nocti” means “night” and “luca” means light, thus pelagia noctiluca can be described as a marine organism with the ability to glow in the dark.

This species of jellyfish, commonly known as the mauve stinger, among many other common names, is widely distributed in all warm and temperate waters such as the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. However, there have also been some sightings of this species in Hawaii.

Malta has suffered in the past from huge invasions of these strange aline-like creatures in summer – causing headaches for swimmers and bathers, who sometimes cannot even get into the water as there are too many of the creatures.

Some attribute these invasions to the declining population of turtles – whose staple diet is, in fact, jellyfish. Others argue that it is a natural phenomenon that will not stop occurring while still others claim that it could be related to ship movements, pollution or climate change.

(source wikipedia)Hundreds of jellyfish were seen close to the shore at Bahar ic-Caghaq yesterday, as many swimmers fear that a new wave of the purple menace will spoil their summer.

The Malta Independent had already reported the sightings of a large amount of jellyfish on 16 April, but back then it was still too cold for a swim. Now that summer is practically with us, and temperatures rise, people are concerned that they will not be able to spend a day at the beach without risking an uncomfortable sting or two.

Last month, the jellyfish were smaller and most of them were dead, but this time there were still many of them that were alive, swimming away as normal.

Many were washed ashore and died in the heat of the sun, while others still made a tasty meal for the crabs that were out in force to take the easy pickings. What is for sure is that the hundreds that were seen yesterday at Bahar ic-Caghaq – and possibly in other places along the shore – were not pleasant news for swimmers.

It is not the first time that Malta has been hit by a wave of jellyfish. Past summers have also been spoilt by their presence in great numbers. There is little one can do to avoid a sting – except to stay on land. But this is not what swimmers really want in the hot summer weather we experience.

The beaching of jellyfish is a phenomenon that sometimes occurs in the Mediterranean, although there is no real explanation. Jellyfish can, of course, swim.

It is thought that these jellyfish are of the common variety – the pelagia noctiluca – which grow to some six centimetres in length. It is one of the few species that do not have a polypoid phase.

In Greek, “pelagia” means “of the sea”, “nocti” means “night” and “luca” means light, thus pelagia noctiluca can be described as a marine organism with the ability to glow in the dark.

This species of jellyfish, commonly known as the mauve stinger, among many other common names, is widely distributed in all warm and temperate waters such as the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. However, there have also been some sightings of this species in Hawaii.

Malta has suffered in the past from huge invasions of these strange aline-like creatures in summer – causing headaches for swimmers and bathers, who sometimes cannot even get into the water as there are too many of the creatures.

Some attribute these invasions to the declining population of turtles – whose staple diet is, in fact, jellyfish. Others argue that it is a natural phenomenon that will not stop occurring while still others claim that it could be related to ship movements, pollution or climate change.

(source wikipedia)