Yes, you read that correctly. There has been a discovery of freshwater jellyfish in northern Michigan.

According to News Channel 3, this fish was found just 30 minutes south of Mackinaw City, in Burt Lake, near Petoskey, Michigan. It is noted by nature.org that this type of fish is known to be much smaller and less dangerous than the familiar sea loving jellyfish. In fact, the travelling hikers that came upon the Burt Lake jellyfish were able to transport it to it’s new home of a fish tank in a nearby local office, without incident.

If the discovery of a potentially dangerous, formerly salt-swimming animal making a home in a lake not too far away from you scares you, you’re not alone. But before you swear off ever entering into the refreshing fresh water lakes that Michigan has to offer, let’s take a look at what we know about freshwater jellyfish, thanks to nature.org.

What We Know About Freshwater Jellyfish:

  • While much smaller than the salt water living jellyfish, freshwater jellyfish CAN in fact sting you, though it is believed their tentacles aren’t large enough to actually penetrate skin and cause harm.
  • A jelly like the sort found in Burt Lake may only grow to be the size of a quarter as an adult.
  • It is believed this fish are a species that originated from China.
  • The best time to seek out a freshwater jelly in it’s natural habitat would be in a calm body of water on a nice sunny day. Most sightings have  generally been during August or September months.
  • These fish usually surface in a “bloom” of many jellyfish packed together, though this isn’t as common among freshwater vs salt water varieties of these animals.
So how about it, are you ready to go freshwater jellyfish hunting? Have you ever come across a jellyfish in the wild before? Tell us about it!

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