Be wary of those ‘flying’ snails seen around the North Carolina coast, officials say
They may float like a butterfly, but they also sting like a bee.
That’s because sea butterflies, known as the ‘flying’ snails of the sea, can stick into a person’s skin like a splinter at the popular Emerald Isle beach in North Carolina, officials said.
These pesky creatures flap their “feet” like butterfly wings in the water, but on land they look like pieces of glass, McClatchy News previously reported.
These needle-like snails are about one centimeters long, the Smithsonian said ― and have been irritating beachgoers since Monday.
For a second day in a row, officials are warning swimmers to stay out of the water as lifeguards continue to monitor sea butterflies and ocean conditions, Town of Emerald Isle told McClatchy News.
Due to a “high abundance of sea butterflies along the shore line” and turbulent “surf zone conditions” Emerald Isle is flying red and purple flags, officials said in a Facebook post.
Although sea butterflies are not toxic, their sharp bodies can cause small, reddish bumps, officials said. If one gets on you, make sure to change clothes and splash the affected area with fresh water, McClatchy previously reported.
Sea butterflies thrive in the Caribbean, but ocean and wind conditions associated with tropical storms and hurricanes brought them to the North Carolina coast, WCTI-TV reported.
This story was originally published August 24, 2021 at 12:08 PM with the headline "Be wary of those ‘flying’ snails seen around the North Carolina coast, officials say."
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