ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) \u2014 Hundreds of mothballs have been found from the dunes to the water on St. Pete Beach, and no one is sure why.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re all over the beach, it\u2019s crazy,\u201d said local Sandy Denton, who was on the beach Tuesday picking up one after another.<\/p>\n
Some are more hidden than others, but the chemical smell peppering the sea breeze is hard to miss.<\/p>\n
2 graduate students missing from University of South Florida, police say <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cSomebody threw them out yesterday, I picked up hundreds and I\u2019ve picked up even more today,\u201d said Denton.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they should be arrested for it,\u201d said Dick Pieszchala, another local. \u201cIt\u2019s terrible. That\u2019s toxic to the animals.\u201d<\/p>\n According to poison control<\/a>, large amounts of the fumes can be poisonous to both people and animals. If consumed, it can cause nausea, vomiting, seizures, or even comas.<\/p>\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t want to go swimming out there right now \u2013 not in mothballs,\u201d said Denton.<\/p>\n \u201cI just couldn\u2019t put my head around why somebody would actually do that,\u201d said Doug Wallace, who was visiting the beach.<\/p>\n Mothballs should only be used indoors, and never to repel wildlife, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife. Violations could bring citations and fines.<\/p>\n FWC assisted beachgoers and the Audubon Society in a beach cleanup.<\/p>\n Former Braves minor league player accused of causing deadly Bradenton hit-and-run on I-75 <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cEven though as careful as we\u2019re being picking them up, if they\u2019re in the sand, I\u2019m just wondering if we\u2019re going to keep encountering these mothballs,\u201d said Beth Forys, president of the Audubon Society.<\/p>\n Many of the mothballs found Tuesday by an 8 On Your Side crew surrounded a busy nesting area for black skimmers in the dunes.<\/p>\n Another concern from beach goers is how the balls of chemicals may look like candy to small children.<\/p>\n \u201cIt makes you angry because that could be my grandchild, what if my grandchild picked up one,\u201d said Denton.<\/p>\n FWC is asking for anyone with more information to contact them online<\/a> or by phone at 888-404-3922. If the information provided leads to an arrest or a citation, they offer a $1000 reward.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n