Blue jellyfish

Cyanea lamarckii

  • Where it lives:

  • Non native species

About

This beautiful jellyfish is often seen around the UK coastline in summer and autumn. They are attracted inshore by blooms of plankton that provide a plentiful supply of food. The blue jellyfish can drift along, easily capturing prey with its dense array of stinging tentacles.

Like many of the jellyfish species, this animal does sting, so if you find one on the beach it's best not to handle it.

How to identify

A typical looking jellyfish, with a dome-shaped bell and stinging tentacles trailing underneath. The bell colour depends on maturity and can vary from pale yellow to purple. Paler (younger) individuals are easily confused with the larger lion's mane jellyfish.

Did you know?

A group of jellyfish is known as a “smack”, but is more commonly referred to as a “bloom”.