Common Jellyfish Types in the UK

Below are just a few of the jellyfish types that can be found in the UK; in particular these can all be found in the waters around Gairloch.

A group of jellyfish is known as a “smack” although it is often referred to as a “bloom”. Jellyfish are 95% water and have no brain, blood or heart!

Blue Jellyfish- As the name suggests, these jellyfish are a striking blue to purple colour- they start out pale and develop a deeper colour as they mature; and yes, they do sting! The younger ones can be mistaken for the similarly shaped Lion’s Mane jellyfish but are smaller than the Lion’s Mane, usually only reaching a size of 30cm across the bell. Blue jellyfish are spotted in the summer months in the UK as there is a plentiful supply of plankton for them to eat as they drift along.

Lion’s Mane Jellyfish- These jellyfish are ones to watch out for in terms of their sting! Thankfully they are very distinctive as they are a beautiful mixture of red, orange and brown, hence their namesake of the Lion’s Mane. These jellies can be up to 50cm across the bell with tentacles potentially reaching up to 3m in length!! Their diet consists of small fish and other small jellyfish. The tentacles on the Lion’s Mane can still sting even if they break away from the main body or if the jellyfish is dead, so it is recommended that you do not touch them, even if they are just washed up on the beach!

Moon Jellyfish- In terms of jellyfish these are the friendly type; they don’t sting humans. Moon jellyfish are characterised by their translucent appearance and distinctive four pink rings in the centre; these rings are the reproductive organs located below the stomach. They can be anywhere between 5-40cm across, and they do have tentacles around the edge of the bell- these are short and are used along with a layer of mucus to catch their prey of plankton before moving them into their mouths.

If in doubt, it’s best to keep your distance and admire these beauties from afar!

Come kayaking with us to see some of these beautiful jellies and much more wildlife!