There have been quite a few reports across social media of vast numbers of jelly fish in the Clyde River and around Cullendulla Creek and Surfside. The jelly blubber (Catostylus mosaicus), also known as the blue blubber jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish from coastal regions in the Indo-Pacific. It is the most commonly encountered jellyfish along the Australian eastern coast and large swarms sometimes appear in estuarine waters. (Wikipedia) They naturally are found on the ocean floor however pre-dawn or cloudy they often rise to the surface. They arrive in huge numbers in what seems to be a few days and then can disappear overnight. Researchers believe the brainless animals that can feel no pain nor are able to communicate, do not aggregate deliberately rather they are brought together on the currents. Blue blubbers have hundreds of mouths along their tentacles that capture prey. Their mouths are armed with stinging cells that shoot barbed harpoons that remain attached to the jellyfish mouth by tiny filaments that convey poison to the prey. Once poisoned they reel their prey in. The stings of Catostylus Mosaicus do not cause serious injury, only redness, a minor sting and itchy (compiled from various sources)
