Head of Marine at the Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Georgia de Jong Cleyndert, said although the “incredible” blue creatures looked like jellyfish, they were actually colonial hydrozoans.<\/p>\n
She said: “Each by-the-wind sailor is made up of hundreds of tiny, specialised animals working together as a single floating colony.<\/p>\n
“Although they are not jellyfish, they do have a very mild sting, even after they have washed up so do not touch them.”<\/p>\n
The specialist said the species’ blue translucent sail allows them to drift huge distances across the surface of the sea.<\/p>\n
“When conditions are right, particularly after periods of persistent onshore winds, thousands can be washed up along our shores,” she said.<\/p>\n
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