Mysterious jelly-like egg sacs spotted on Hampshire beach

Daily Echo Camera Club member Margaret McCrea captured the unusual green spawn at Lepe Beach earlier this month.

The small, translucent blobs, often attached to seaweed, were found to contain tiny developing worms when held up to the light.

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Margaret said she also witnessed seagulls feeding on adult worms nearby, which appeared to be dying off in the shallows at low tide.

The discovery has raised questions about the exact species involved – Margaret noted similarities between Eulalia clavigera, commonly found in UK waters, and Eulalia viridis, which typically spawns earlier in the year.

Hampshire Wildlife Trust said the images are likely to show paddle worm egg sacs, possibly Eulalia clavigera, but added it is not possible to confirm the exact species from photographs alone.