Page 116 - NT 2022 Almanac

In Britain you are likely to see up to six different types of jellyfish and two species of jellyfish-like animals called the Portuguese man-of-war and the by-the-wind sailor. These last two are often confused with jellyfish but are actually ‘siphonophores’.
UK jellyfish and siphonophores are not considered to be dangerous. However, some species can have a nasty sting. Their stings can range from mild, like the moon jellyfish,
to very powerful, like the Portuguese man-of-war, which has the worst sting of all the jellyfish-like animals.
Portuguese man-of-war
By-the- wind sailor
If you are stung by a jellyfish, here are some things you can do to relieve the pain:
Use seawater to rinse the area that was stung. Don’t use fresh water, as this will make the sting worse.
If you can see the stinging spines from the jellyfish on your skin, ask an adult to pull them off carefully with tweezers.
Applying heat helps: you could soak the area in very warm water (as hot as you can stand) or you could press a hot flannel or towel gently over the sting.
Painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen will help, but never take these without asking an adult first.
If the pain isn’t going away and it is very bad, you should go to a minor injuries unit.
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