The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the US, and as such has its own singular qualities for which it’s well known. Ahhh.., the delicious Blue Crab. And, um-um, the Bay Oysters by the dozen. And then there is the Sea Nettle.

The jellyfish for which the Bay is widely known in the summer is the Sea Nettle. While this little bugger occurs from Cape Cod south to the Gulf of Mexico, it abounds in the Chesapeake Bay in numbers unequaled elsewhere. It especially likes the rivers of the middle bay where it is slightly less salty.

Each summer, flotillas of nettles invade the Chesapeake. By mid-summer they are so plentiful that swimmers must make haste for dry land. Not all jellies sting, but the sea nettle does. It preys mostly on drifting planktonic animals and small fish using its long tentacles and frilly mouth-arms, all covered with stinging cells. When the tentacles come in contact with prey, the stinging cells paralyze it and stick tight. It is then drawn up to the mouth where it is digested.

Adult sea nettles have few natural predators in the low salt tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. Sea turtles, which are known to eat Portuguese man-of-war and some other jellyfish, rarely come far into the Bay. And fish species that are known to feed on sea nettles prefer waters of higher salinity.

The Sea Nettle has two life stages. First is a swimming microscopic larvae which finds a hard surface to attach itself to. There it develops into fixed polyps. These polyps break off to become young nettles which mature into the large bell-shaped medusa that is so familiar. They, in turn, produce the eggs and sperm for the next generation.

Jellyfish Sting First Aid:

If you happen to bump into one of our Chesapeake Bay Sea Nettles you will no doubt know it. The sting, while not deadly, is annoying and can be painful. What should you do? If bits or pieces of tentacles are still on the skin, scrap them off to keep the stinging cells from additional irritation. Pour alcohol or baby powder on the area to dry it out. If you can, apply diluted ammonia, sodium bicarbonate, vinegar or meat tenderizer to the affected area. Meat tenderizer works well because it breaks down protein and jellyfish venom is made of protein.

Urine?

Now, you’ve undoubtedly heard the old saw that crusty old fishermen swear by. For a jellyfish sting you should pee on it. This author could not confirm or refute this time honored axiom, but it seems that everybody thinks that it might be true. So, in a pinch, maybe it’s worth a try. If you’ve been stung on the back of the neck, I guess you can ask a friend for help.

For more articles about the Chesapeake Bay by this author, see: Chesapeak Bay , the Barnacle , the Blue Crab , the Oyster , the Eagle , the Great Blue Heron , the Osprey