Jellyfish stings range in severity from imperceptible to human beings to certain death without immediate treatment.
Most jellyfish stings are more akin to a bee sting than anything life threatening.
It should be noted that each individual reacts differently on a metabolic level to invasive toxins.
Bee stings are little more than a minor annoyance to most people but there are those who must seek medical attention due to potentially life threatening allergic reactions to bee venom.
The Sea Wasp holds the World Heavy Weight Championship title in that arena.
The sea wasp is one of twenty species of jellyfish collectively referred to as box jellyfish because they have a box-like rather than an umbrella shaped bell.
Sea wasps invade the northern shores of Australia annually.
This incursion into shallow waters begins at the onset of the rainy season around November and typically runs through to the end of May.
Some beaches have nets put in place prior to this annual invasion in an attempt to isolate beach goers from these deadly creatures.
Other beaches are closed entirely.
Wasp jellyfish are one of the deadliest creatures on Earth.
An adult sea wasp carries enough venom to kill 60 full grown adults.
Death can occur in as little as 2-3 minutes depending on the number and severity of stings.
This is quicker than any insect, spider or snake known to man.
Approximately 1,000 people are stung by sea wasps annually resulting in 100 deaths.
Sting victims swimming in deeper waters frequently die from drowning or cardiac arrest before they are able to make it back to shore or their boat.
All life guards on Australia's northern beaches are equipped with box jellyfish anti-venom kits.
Survivors of box jellyfish attacks describe the pain as excruciating.
Secondary mortality symptoms include; respiratory paralysis, neuromuscular paralysis, and cardiovascular collapse.
While box jellyfish may hold the title for being the deadliest creature in the world, pound for pound Irukandji jellyfish are even deadlier.
For generations, the Irukandji aborigines spoke of a mysterious presence in Australian waters that brings unspeakable pain.
Irukandji syndrome was first documented by Hugo Flecker in 1952.
There are at least six species of jellyfish capable of producing Irukandji syndrome.
The first of these jellyfish, Carukia barnesi, was discovered in 1964 by Dr.
Jack Barnes.
This jellyfish was smaller than his finger nail.
Yet Dr.
Barnes was so convinced that he had just found the creature responsible for the mysterious deaths off the coasts of Autraila that he intentionally stung himself, his son and the lifeguard on duty.
All three had to be hospitalized for Irukandji syndrome.
Irukandji jellyfish venom is 100 times more potent than cobra venom and 1,000 times more powerful than that of a tarantula.
An anti-venom has yet to be developed for Irukandji syndrome.
Doctors are helpless to prevent the toxin from spreading in sting victims.
They can only threat the symptoms of the venom and hope the patient lives through the agonizing experience.
Most jellyfish stings are more akin to a bee sting than anything life threatening.
It should be noted that each individual reacts differently on a metabolic level to invasive toxins.
Bee stings are little more than a minor annoyance to most people but there are those who must seek medical attention due to potentially life threatening allergic reactions to bee venom.
The Sea Wasp holds the World Heavy Weight Championship title in that arena.
The sea wasp is one of twenty species of jellyfish collectively referred to as box jellyfish because they have a box-like rather than an umbrella shaped bell.
Sea wasps invade the northern shores of Australia annually.
This incursion into shallow waters begins at the onset of the rainy season around November and typically runs through to the end of May.
Some beaches have nets put in place prior to this annual invasion in an attempt to isolate beach goers from these deadly creatures.
Other beaches are closed entirely.
Wasp jellyfish are one of the deadliest creatures on Earth.
An adult sea wasp carries enough venom to kill 60 full grown adults.
Death can occur in as little as 2-3 minutes depending on the number and severity of stings.
This is quicker than any insect, spider or snake known to man.
Approximately 1,000 people are stung by sea wasps annually resulting in 100 deaths.
Sting victims swimming in deeper waters frequently die from drowning or cardiac arrest before they are able to make it back to shore or their boat.
All life guards on Australia's northern beaches are equipped with box jellyfish anti-venom kits.
Survivors of box jellyfish attacks describe the pain as excruciating.
Secondary mortality symptoms include; respiratory paralysis, neuromuscular paralysis, and cardiovascular collapse.
While box jellyfish may hold the title for being the deadliest creature in the world, pound for pound Irukandji jellyfish are even deadlier.
For generations, the Irukandji aborigines spoke of a mysterious presence in Australian waters that brings unspeakable pain.
Irukandji syndrome was first documented by Hugo Flecker in 1952.
There are at least six species of jellyfish capable of producing Irukandji syndrome.
The first of these jellyfish, Carukia barnesi, was discovered in 1964 by Dr.
Jack Barnes.
This jellyfish was smaller than his finger nail.
Yet Dr.
Barnes was so convinced that he had just found the creature responsible for the mysterious deaths off the coasts of Autraila that he intentionally stung himself, his son and the lifeguard on duty.
All three had to be hospitalized for Irukandji syndrome.
Irukandji jellyfish venom is 100 times more potent than cobra venom and 1,000 times more powerful than that of a tarantula.
An anti-venom has yet to be developed for Irukandji syndrome.
Doctors are helpless to prevent the toxin from spreading in sting victims.
They can only threat the symptoms of the venom and hope the patient lives through the agonizing experience.