Latest news with #stings
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Jellyfish sting nearly 100 beachgoers in Daytona Beach over holiday weekend
The Brief Nearly 100 people were stung by jellyfish during Memorial Day weekend in Daytona Beach. Officials urge caution but say most stings are minor and treatable on-site. Despite warnings, beachgoers largely stayed in the water to enjoy the holiday. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Nearly 100 people were stung by jellyfish along Daytona Beach over the Memorial Day weekend, prompting warnings from local officials and beach safety crews. What we know Over Memorial Day weekend, 99 people were stung by jellyfish along Daytona Beach, according to Volusia County Beach Safety officials. The majority of stings were mild, though some individuals required hospital treatment. Jellyfish were spotted both in the surf and along the sand. Beach crews are responding by treating stings with vinegar and advising caution. What we don't know Officials have not identified the specific species of jellyfish responsible for the stings, nor have they indicated whether this sudden surge is tied to seasonal patterns or unusual ocean conditions. It also remains unclear whether more stings may occur in the coming days, or if additional safety measures will be implemented. The backstory Daytona Beach is a popular Memorial Day destination, often drawing large crowds. In past years, beach safety teams have responded to hundreds of water rescues during this weekend. While rescues dropped to 35 this year, jellyfish stings emerged as a new concern, shifting the focus of beach safety efforts. The stings highlight the unpredictable nature of beach safety hazards. While rip currents typically dominate safety advisories, marine life can present unexpected risks—even on high-traffic weekends like Memorial Day. Yellow flags remain in place, alerting visitors to moderate water risks. What they're saying Volusia County Beach Safety Deputy Chief AJ Miller said beachgoers should stay alert but not overly alarmed. "We've pulled out 35 people yesterday and Saturday from the water," he said. "We have jellyfish in the area. Just between Saturday and Sunday, we had 99 people stung by jellyfish." Deputy Miller said it's important to pay attention. "You can see them if you're really watching," Miller said, "But then you're going to spend your whole day staring at the water and not enjoying the day." "It's a minor concern," said Brian Thatcher, a Jacksonville resident. "Everybody's trying to have a good time, go back to work tomorrow, so you got to do something to enjoy." What you can do Visitors are encouraged to seek help from lifeguards if stung; vinegar is available for treatment at beach stations. Those with allergies to insect stings are urged to be especially cautious, as they may be more sensitive to jellyfish venom. Despite the stings, most beachgoers were undeterred, soaking up the sun and surf before heading back to work. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by Volusia County Beach Safety, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and visitors to Daytona Beach on May 26, 2025.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Worcester beehives removed after residents plagued by swarms
More than 20 beehives have been removed from the back garden of a house in Worcester after residents complained they were being repeatedly stung and could not open windows or go City Council said a team had quickly investigated the matter and the hives had been removed, without any formal action being in Corfe Avenue, in the Warndon Villages area of the city, told the BBC this week their lives had been made a "misery" by the swarming creatures and tradespeople were staying away because of fears of being problem had been traced to a property with several apartments rented to tenants. The BBC approached the owner but they have not responded. City councillor Sarah Murray had claimed there were 21 hives in the back garden that were unmanaged and she estimated they could contain up to one million Friday, a spokesman for Worcester City Council said: "After being alerted to the situation Worcestershire Regulatory Services, acting on behalf of the City Council, quickly investigated the matter."This has resulted in the beehives being removed from the property, without any formal action being required." Residents had told the BBC the problem had developed over years and one woman, who gave her name as Julie, said she had kept videos and a photo diary of the swarms "for the last couple of years".Murray also said the issue had "gone well beyond a private matter" as she called for said families, pets and workers were being stung, residents were unable to open windows and home maintenance had been also raised concerns over the environmental impact because honeybees in excessive numbers could outcompete bumblebees, solitary bees and butterflies. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Guardian
08-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Scorpions ‘taking over' Brazilian cities with reported stings rising 250%
Scorpions are 'taking over' Brazilian cities, researchers have warned in a paper that said rapid urbanisation and climate breakdown were driving an increase in the number of people being stung. More than 1.1m stings were reported between 2014 and 2023, according to data from the Brazilian notifiable diseases information system. There was a 250% increase in reports of stings from 2014 to 2023, according to research published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health. The rise in cases has been driven by rapid, unplanned urbanisation – such as favelas – characterised by high-density housing and poor waste disposal, according to the research. Although urban areas are encroaching on wild habitats where scorpions already live, they are also creating new environments in which to thrive. 'Urbanisation in Brazil has profoundly reshaped ecosystems,' said the lead researcher, Manuela Berto Pucca, an assistant professor at São Paulo State University. 'Cities unintentionally offer everything scorpions need: plenty of shelter (in walls, drains, rubble and construction debris), consistent warmth, and a reliable food supply in the form of cockroaches and other urban invertebrates.' They particularly like sewers, which are warm year-round, home to almost no predators and provide plenty of food, especially cockroaches. Some species of scorpion can survive for up to 400 days without food and are able to reproduce without mating, making them difficult to eradicate. Scorpions thrive in urban environments such as sewers, which are warm and humid and have a ready food supply in the form of cockroaches. Photograph: Nelson Almeida/AFP/Getty Images Hotter summers, and periods of intense rainfall and drought, also help them thrive as they are adapted to warm and humid environments. Provisional data for 2024 suggests scorpions were responsible for nearly 200,000 stings and 133 deaths in Brazil. In total, researchers projected 2m new cases between 2025 and 2033. 'The real scale of this issue is likely far greater than the recorded statistics suggest,' researchers said, as many people choose to treat themselves at home, or forgo treatment. 'I've been working in places where scorpion stings are a daily fear, especially in poor and crowded areas,' said Pucca. 'The numbers showed us that in the future the problem will be bigger than it is now.' Researchers said that 0.1% of reported stings result in death, and children and elderly people are most vulnerable. Healthy people generally make a full recovery, but can suffer from pain and discomfort for several days. Symptoms include pain, burning, swelling, redness, tingling and nausea. Previous research modelling the distribution of scorpions in Brazil showed the potential to expand their habitats into urban areas driven by a warmer, wetter climate. Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Mexico, Guyana and Venezuela have witnessed a 'particularly alarming rise in scorpionism [the medical condition resulting from a sting] over recent decades, evolving into a significant public health crisis', the researchers of the new study said. In Europe there are believed to be more than 35 native species of scorpion, although there is no comprehensive research on population trends. Researchers said prevention was key. 'Scorpions thrive in cluttered, humid environments. Keep areas clean, seal cracks in walls, use screens on drains and always check shoes, towels and clothes before using them,' said Pucca. Dr Manuela González-Suárez, an ecologist at Reading University who was not involved in the research, said: 'The numbers are much higher than I would expect, in the sense that this is a significant increase.' However, she said awareness of an issue could also result in more reporting. González-Suárez added that people should not be unduly alarmed by the research: 'Many people who are stung do not have severe or lethal reactions and mortality rates are relatively low compared with, for example, those due to road accidents or violent crimes.' Scorpion anti-venoms are available at some Brazilian hospitals and people are urged to seek treatment immediately if stung. Photograph: Nelson Almeida/AFP/Getty The Brazilian health system provides free treatment for scorpion stings, and anti-venom is available at some hospitals and emergency centres. 'If someone is stung, don't wait for symptoms to worsen – go to the nearest healthcare facility immediately,' said one of the paper's authors, Prof Eliane Candiani Arantes from the University of São Paulo. 'All people are vulnerable, especially children, because just one small sting can kill a child,' she said. Prof Nibedita Ray-Bennett, at the University of Leicester, who is president of the Avoidable Deaths Network, said the study underscored 'the urgent need for action'. Pucca said one of the most widespread misconceptions about scorpions was that they were our enemies. 'They are not. These animals act defensively, not offensively. They're part of the natural world and play essential ecological roles, from controlling pest populations to maintaining biodiversity.' Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow the biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield in the Guardian app for more nature coverage
