Nova Scotia Parks says Portuguese man o’ war have been spotted on Atlantic coastal beaches recently.
One of the sightings was at Lawrencetown Beach, a popular area for surfers east of Dartmouth.
A post from Nova Scotia Parks on Wednesday says Portuguese man o’ war are relatively common this time of year along the South Shore and Eastern Shore.
People are advised to avoid swimming if Portuguese man o’ war are present in the water and to not touch them.
Portuguese man o’ war are a species of siphonophore and closely related to jellyfish.
The U.S. National Ocean Service says they may be blue, violet, or pink and they rise up to six inches above the waterline.
Portuguese man o’ war also have long strands of tentacles and polyps with venom to kill fish and crustaceans.
A sting to a human can be painful and cause welts on the skin.
