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Swimming at the beach is a fun activity during the summer. However, when you swim at the beach, you are exposed to many dangers. One of them is a jellyfish sting. There are many kinds of jellyfish. Jellyfish have tentacles that they use to sting their prey. The venom that they release from the tentacles paralyzes the prey. When you are swimming, if you touch a jellyfish’s tentacles you can get stung. Touching the tentacles of a dead jellyfish is also a bad idea. Most jellyfish stings happen by accident. Most of the jellyfish stings do not pose danger to a human being’s life. They merely cause pain. Nevertheless, some jellyfish kinds such as the box jellyfish have a deadly sting. Always wear your sun protection swimwear to avoid such accidents.

Swedish Beaches where you are likely to find Jellyfish

During the summer in Sweden, the beaches are a popular destination for people on vacation and tourists. Jellyfish are beautiful creatures that are important to the ecosystem but they are a nuisance to swimmers. In the past, there have been incidents where a large number of them swim close to the shores rendering the waters bad for swimming. The common jellyfish on Swedish beaches are the lion’s mane jellyfish and the saucer jellyfish. They are relatively harmless and their stings are not life-threatening. There are a number of beaches where jellyfish infestation occurs sometimes. They include:

• Ribersborg: This beach is found in Malmo. During the summer, the water can be infested with jellyfish after high winds.
• Tanto Beach; located in Stockholm, this beach is warmer during the summer. During this period, the beach occasionally has jellyfish infestations caused by strong winds deeper at sea.
• Mollön Peninsula Nude Beach, Uddevalla: Found on the West Coast, it has been reported to receive a swarm of moon jellyfish every once in a while.
• Varamon Beach in �stergötland: it is one of the hottest beaches during the summer. When it gets cooler, jellyfish drift towards the shore.
• Norrfällsviken: the sun hardly sets in the summer. However, be on the look-out for jellyfish after heavy rains.

During the summer, around June to August, jellyfish love to find the cooler waters deeper in the ocean. However, strong winds can blow them towards the shore. Since they cannot resist the strong currents, they become a nuisance to swimmers in the shallow waters. After a heavy rain, jellyfish come to the shore. Sometimes, certain varieties of Jellyfish move towards the beach when their predators are not nearby.

How to Prevent Jellyfish Stings

To avoid getting stung by jellyfish, you should take a few precautions:

•Wear a wetsuit or sun protection swimwear when you are in the water to avoid getting into contact with the jellyfish tentacles whether dead or alive. If you are walking on the beach, wear protective shoes to avoid accidentally stepping on the creatures
• Avoid jellyfish-infested waters. Sometimes jellyfish activity increases raising the chances of you getting stung. Ask the lifeguard whether there has been recent activity before you jump into the water.
• Wear jellyfish repellent. Some sunscreens are doused with the repellent. These repellents work ingeniously to prevent you from an attack.
• Do not touch dead jellyfish. The tentacles can still sting even when the animal is dead.