Stinging bluebottles washing up in Sorrento, stunning locals
In a rare phenomenon, Victorian beaches have been inundated by stinging bluebottles in a “nasty” coastal invasion. This is how to avoid a painful sting.
VIC News
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Swarms of bluebottles are washing up around Victoria.
The stinging creatures have been spotted at a number of beaches, most notably at Sorrento.
Sorrento Surf Life Saving Club’s Marc Clavin said he’s never seen anything like the current inundation on the local sands.
“It’s very unusual. It’s completely out of season for us,” he told 3AW.
“If there’s big rafts of them floating around out there, if you swim into them as a surfer or a swimmer, it’s going to be a nasty state of affairs.”
Museums Victoria marine expert Robin Wilson said it’s not completely unheard of, but they are more common up north in warmer waters than around Melbourne.
“It’s an episodic event and definitely not that common,” Dr Wilson said.
“This sort of event has occurred in the Mediterranean before – they’re not normally found there – but the invasion was just a temporary thing.
“It can happen with the right combination of onshore winds.
While there has been no reported deaths due to bluebottle stings, they definitely hurt.
It’s best to avoid going near them at all costs because they can bring about excruciating pain.
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If you are stung by one, Life Saving Victoria’s marine stingers guide advises people to wash off any remaining tentacles with seawater.
After that, put the affected area in hot water, and if the pain still hasn’t gone away, wrap the wound in cold packs.
