Volusia County, FL - That's not fiberglass washing up on the beach... it's a species of sea snails commonly known as sea butterfly.
Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue workers were flagged down several times yesterday by beach goers concerned about what they thought was fiberglass washing up on the beach. But, those small needle like objects are actually marine organisms. They're a pteropod called creseis acicula, or more commonly, Sea Butterfly.
The mollusks are common in the warm waters of the Carribean but are frequently carried to our area by strong currents generated by Tropical Storms (like Emily) and Hurricanes.
The sea snails, or sea slugs, have a long cylindrical whitish-transparent needle shaped silica body and they propel themselves through the water using their tongues, which flutter like a butterfly. They're harmless and non-toxic, but their bodies are very sharp and can stick into the skin like a splinter. According to Beach Safety, if you get stuck with a few of them you might notice some reddish bumps, but those are due to small punctures, not allergic reactions.
Photos courtesy Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue.
Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.
