Barrel Jellyfish

About the Barrel Jellyfish

The largest jellyfish in British waters, reaching 90 cm across and weighing 35 kg. Despite their size, their sting is mild. They appear in massive blooms along the UK coast in summer. They have no brain, heart, or blood. They are 95% water. They provide shelter for juvenile fish. Their populations are increasing as oceans warm. They can be over a meter wide when their oral arms are extended. They are sometimes called dustbin-lid jellyfish. They are food for leatherback turtles. They have been around for 500 million years.