A WILDLIFE expert has explained a string of jellyfish blooms along the Sussex coast.

Scores have been seen recently, and beachgoers have been puzzled by their sudden arrival. Last week, diver Owen Jones captured mesmerising footage of a Moon jellyfish bloom in Shoreham. “Seeing them in such big numbers is really unusual – normally there’s just a couple per ten square metres of water,” he said.

Charlotte Owen from Sussex Wildlife Trust said they are often attracted by the warmer, calmer weather at this time of year.

She said: “Jellyfish are drifters and tend to ‘bloom’ over the summer months when conditions are right for them to reproduce and there is plenty of plankton for them to feed on.

“These blooms are part of their natural cycle but changes in jellyfish numbers can also indicate changes in the marine ecosystem, and jellyfish are good indicators of the health of our seas. “High nitrate levels caused by water pollution result in more plankton, so more jellyfish, while overfishing removes their competitors and reduces the number of predators that would otherwise keep jellyfish populations in check.

As we continue to feel the impacts of climate change and sea temperatures rise, we are likely to see increasingly frequent jellyfish blooms along the coast.”

Beachgoers have spotted several species in recent weeks. Veronique McDermott was baffled by a clear, frilled specimen her four-year-old daughter Brooke found on Brighton beach, and sent off pictures to the Sea Life centre in Brighton for identification.

She said: “It didn’t seem to have tentacles. I’ve seen a lot of jellyfish in my time but I’ve never seen anything like this one before.”

Charlotte said the species you are most likely to spot in Sussex are the Moon Jellyfish, Compass Jellyfish and Barrel Jellyfish.

She said: “They are all capable of a mild sting so it’s best not to touch them, although they can be difficult to avoid when you’re in the water.”

If you are stung, ask a lifeguard or first-aider for help. Urinating on the sting is not advised.

The NHS suggests rinsing the area with seawater before soaking it in water as hot as you can tolerate for at least 30 minutes.