Venomous Man o' War Wash Up on East Hampton Beaches

Several venomous Portuguese man o' war, native to the Pacific and Indian oceans, have washed up along the South Fork's coastline.

John Ryan Jr., the chief of the East Hampton Town lifeguards, said a southwest storm, which has caused the ocean waters to become five-degrees warmer than last week, brought the species inshore. Ryan said 18 man o'wars were found out on Montauk beaches on Friday, and then four or five were found on Atlantic Avenue Beach and Indian Wells Beach in Amagansett on Saturday morning.

Ryan, reached by phone at Atlantic where lifeguards were flying a red flag for dangerous surf conditions, said he hasn't seen man o'war in the area since 2006.

Several also washed up near Tiana Beach in East Quogue, according to the Southampton Trustees on Saturday.

"We are warning the public and all lifeguards. I've been given information regarding the treatment of anybody that is stung by one," Ryan said.

"They're definitely a danger," he said, adding that a sting can be fatal if someone is allergic.

Most importantly, he said, remove the stinger. "Most people think you put vinegar on it — vinegar is usually for jellyfish — but don't put vinegar on these. It will create excruciating pain," he said. Instead, pour fresh water or salt water over the area. The stinger creates a giant welt, "like someone whipped you," he said. Follow up with cold or warm compresses.

While the species resembles a jellyfish, Southampton Town Trustees explained on their Facebook page that they are actually "colonial organisms made up of many minute individuals, called zooids."

The name, man o' war, the trustees said, comes from "an 18th century armed sailing ship and the creature's resemblance to the Portuguese version at full sail."

According to various websites, the man o' war is responsible for thousands of human stings ever year — most stung by the creature will experience severe pain for about an hour and red welts that will last a few days.