Strange 'Blue Buttons' Wash Up On Virginia Beaches, Experts Issue Warning: "Quite Potent"

Virginia Beach, known for its sun-soaked sands and gentle waves, has become an unlikely hotspot for a peculiar marine intruder this September. Beachgoers in the Sandbridge and Dam Neck areas have reported sightings of "blue buttons"-- tiny, ethereal creatures resembling miniature jellyfish that wash up on the shore. These gelatinous orbs, no larger than a quarter, feature a striking blue or green rim and a translucent disk that floats buoyantly on the ocean's surface. However, beneath their cute, button-like charm lies a potent sting that can turn a stroll into a painful ordeal.

According to a report by Wavy, the sightings began around September 5 when a local snapped a photo at Dam Neck beach, mistaking the creature for a harmless drifter. By the following days, more reports flooded in, including two spotted near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge by walker Julie Daniel Harshaw.

Experts at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Centre quickly identified them as Porpita porpita, or blue buttons, akin to the infamous Portuguese man o' war recently sighted at the Oceanfront. "It's a colony of animals working together, not one individual," explained Robert Donovan, a marine specialist. "They drift with winds and currents, lacking control over their path."

What brought these tropical wanderers to Virginia?

Fingers point to Hurricane Erin, which barreled through the Atlantic in mid-August, churning up warm Gulf Stream currents and propelling the blue buttons northward. Typically residents of subtropical seas, these drifters thrive in balmy environments but can hitch rides on storm surges, stranding far from home. 

Mr Donovan warned that even beached specimens retain stinging nematocysts in their tentacles, capable of delivering a sharp, burning welt similar to a jellyfish zap. "Get out of the water if you see one floating, and don't touch them on the sand. Their sting is quite potent," he advised. 

"I wouldn't touch them. I wouldn't pick them up. If you see them on the beach, I'd give them some wide berth," he added. 

Lifeguards and the Virginia Department of Health have also posted alerts, urging vigilance during these final warm days.