The month of June and the heat waves bring with them a swarm of jellyfish, which should reach Israel next week and flood . Sea bathers have already reported encounters with various types of jellyfish. A Nature and Parks Authority volunteer documented the new "visitors" who had already arrived at the sea at Palmahim Beach.
"Jellyfish are invertebrate creatures that belong to the family, which also includes corals and sea lilies," explains Dr. Ori Fried, a marine ecologist at the . According to her, there are about ten species of jellyfish known in Israel, most of them invasive.
"The most common species is the - the stinging jellyfish we have often encountered on the beaches during the summer months," she says, "but sometimes you can also spot other species that drift along with it. "For example, the smooth edged blue jellyfish is a local species of jellyfish that used to be more common on our shores. A beautiful jellyfish with prominent blue edges whose sting is not as painful as that of the nomad jellyfish.
" "It is also possible to distinguish other invasive species of beautiful jellyfish whose sting is not as painful as the nomad jellyfish, such as the floating bell," she explained. Fried adds that the jellyfish are very affected by climate change and ocean warming. "In recent years, it has been difficult to time exactly when the swarms will touch the beach," she says.
"There were also years when we didn't see so many jellyfish in the summer but actually in the winter." The .