CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Dozens of cabbage head jellyfish, also called cannonball jellyfish can be found washed up on the shore of the Port Aransas jetties.
Marine science expert, Jace Tunnell with A&M Corpus Christi's Harte Research Institute said that seeing these jellyfish at this time of year is not at all uncommon and all has to do with the coastal elements.
"You know we get the right currents coming in. We got the onshore winds, we get cooler temperatures, this is what happens. We get a bloom of them that end up washing up," Tunnell said.
Unlike the more dangerous species of jellyfish, like sea nettle and man o' war, Tunnel said by the time this species makes it to the shore, they are basically harmless.
"Well, they do have stinging cells up inside of the bell but it's very mild. Most people won't even be able to feel it and so we tell people 'You know, don't worry about these.'," he said.
The cabbage head jellyfish only live about three to six months. So, while there may be times where beachgoers see blooms of them, there will also be periods where they will not see them at all.
While just a few days ago the Port Aransas shore was scattered with these creatures, Tunnell said people will be pleased to know that in just a couple days, you will not be able to tell the jellyfish were ever there.
"Today, a couple days later, you see there's just remnants of them. It's because they're made mostly of water. Once they get stranded up on the beach, they really start just degrading very quickly, " he said.