- February 5, 2025
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There seems to be a shift in the water as the Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue reported there were only 11 people treated by Beach Safety personnel for jellyfish stings on Wednesday, June 27. None of the stings resulted in any major injuries, according to Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue Captain Tamra Malphurs.
Malphurs said it seems as if "the jellyfish are on the way out."
Wednesday's number is a significant drop in jellyfish stings throughout Volusia County. Only last week there were more than 1,000 reported stings.
In the Volusia County area, the most common jellyfish seen are the man o' war, moon and cannonball jellyfish.
According to Malphurs, if a person is stung by a jellyfish, he or she should exit the water and flag down a lifeguard truck or go to a staffed tower. Jellyfish stings can be painful, and a lifeguard can rinse the area with vinegar, which is a common treatment. It is important to not rub the area, which can make it worse. Malphurs said that while jellyfish stings are painful, most are not life threatening.
Malphurs said the increase of stings may be due to the lack of current or winds that normally move the jellyfish along. Also, more stings can occur because of the larger crowds that have been coming to the beaches in Volusia County.
Malphurs added that there is no real jellyfish season and that they are "pretty unpredictable and at the mercy of the currents and winds" and are more likely to show up after several days of an onshore wind.
