Blue bottle jellyfish wash up on Marine Parade

Blue bottle jellyfish are expected to land on the coast of Hawke's Bay for the next month. Photo/Supplied.

Those who frequent Hawke's Bay beaches may want to take extra care in the coming weeks as blue bottle jellyfish wash ashore.

Napier woman Janene Hole was enjoying a walk along Marine Parade with a friend and their 10-year-old daughters at the weekend when they came across a peculiar-looking blue object.

Laying on the shingle was a Portuguese man-of-war (blue bottle) jellyfish, the most common jelly found in New Zealand waters.

"It wasn't until we were quite close that we really noticed them and when we worked out what one was we could see others along the beach.

"There were probably around a dozen of them over the beach that we saw. We were picked them up and putting them back in the water with a stick," she said.

Ms Hole said the group were careful not to touch the translucent creatures as they were all wearing jandals, but were curious to see them up close.

"They're really beautiful, they're a really interesting creatures and you can see why they've got that name 'blue bottle' because they're completely clear on the inside with thin skin on the outside with what almost looks like stitches on one side of them."

National Aquarium customer services coordinator Bruce Wells said it was the "time of the year" for blue bottle jellyfish to be washing ashore.

"It happens around about this time of the year every year, some in bigger numbers than other years, but essentially it's the beginning of blue bottles washing up on the beaches here.

"The temperature is getting a little bit warmer and the waves themselves bring the blue bottles in. They can't swim, they just float along the current, so that's why they end up on the beaches."

(L-R) Penny Howe and Alba Valero-Ellis inspect a blue bottle jellyfish that washed up on Marine Parade at the weekend. Photo/Supplied.

Mr Wells said while every case should be judged by it's merits, blue bottle jellyfish could give nasty stings.

"They can give you a pretty good sting and it does hurt, even if they've been sitting on the beach for hours or a day or so.

"They do have a neurotoxin that can affect different people in different ways; anything from a rash and if it was a small child then you would have to be concerned that's for sure."

According to the Ministry of Health, anyone stung by a jellyfish should get out of the water and apply sea water to the stung area, removing any tentacles off with a dry towel.

It was recommended an ambulance was called for anyone stung with symptoms of a serious allergic reaction or anaphylaxis, however this was rare.

Ms Hole said she had heard of a friend getting a nasty sting when they were younger so she was warning others at the beach to be wary of them.

"There were five kids out there swimming in the water so we took a jellyfish over to them and explained what they were and if they got stung they would need medical help."

Mr Wells said blue bottle jellyfish could be expected to wash up on Hawke's Bay beaches for the next month.