Sea Lice Outbreak Threatening Gulf Coast Beaches

By THC Staff | June 7, 2016

 

Microscopic and invisible to the eye, sea lice are threatening beachgoers along the Gulf Coast recently.

As KHOU reported, sea lice are jellyfish larvae that have that same stinging cells as their full-grown relatives. They’ve been spotted along the panhandle of Florida and have begun to move south along the coastline and outbreaks have been on the rise this summer. Biologists are warning all Gulf Coast beachgoers to be mindful as the sea lice could move to the Texas regions soon.

They are “impossible to spot in the water,” and leave a rash that’s commonly known as sunbather’s eruption. The little buggers are often caught in the swimsuits of beachgoers where the person is stung repeatedly.

The rash stings like a typical jellyfish and can be treated as such. They are most active in the hot months of summer, which doesn’t bode well for the Texas coastline. However, just be aware of any rashes picked up from the beach!