Ouch!
Don't get stung on Whanganui beaches this summer.
Bluebottles dotted the coastline yesterday. Several dozen of the small blue jellyfish (also known as Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish) were evident at Castlecliff Beach, and further along towards the North Mole.
Beach visitor German student Sarah Metzger had not seen one before
yesterday and did not know they could sting. "We don't get them in Germany," she said.
As with any sting, the sensation is unpleasant, and its severity depends on the amount of contact the skin has had with the tentacle. Although extremely unlikely, it is possible that a bluebottle sting may cause a severe allergic reaction that can be life-threatening, according to the Ministry of Health.
