Transparent jellyfish washes up on UK beach with prey trapped inside

Stumbling across a rare transparent jellyfish would be exciting enough for most British beachgoers. 

But a photographer exploring a beach on the Scilly Isles was in for a surprise, after discovering a jellyfish with its prey still trapped inside. 

Nikki Banfield, 43, took images of the 'Mauve Stinger' washed up at Porth Hellick, St Mary's on the Scilly Isles.

The jellyfish's meal - a young mullet - could still be seen inside it.

Nikki, known as BareFoot Photographer, said: 'It's always fascinating to see.

'It's made even more intriguing and interesting due to the transparency of the jelly. 

'There's not many instances where you can see the prey of a creature in a predators stomach!'

Several months ago, Nikki captured photographs showing hundreds of thousands of Mauve Stingers that had washed up on on the same beach.

The rare purple jellyfish are only small - but capable of a powerful sting and glow brightly at night if disturbed.

'The mauve stinger is a small jellyfish, but it certainly packs a powerful punch, with long tentacles and warty structures on its "bell" full of stinging cells,' the Wildlife Trust explained. 

'Small crustaceans known as amphipods hang out inside the ring of tentacles and are able to survive unharmed. 

'The mauve stinger likes to feed on other small jellyfish and oceanic sea squirts, also known as ascidians.'

Mauve Stingers are fairly uncommon close to UK shores. 

However, they may be found offshore and in warmer European waters, such as the Mediterranean. 

'This jellyfish usually appears a bluey purple (mauve) colour with a globe shaped umbrella covered in orangey brown warts,' the Wildlife Trust added. 

'Long, thin tentacles hang down from around the bell, reaching a maximum of 3 metres.'

Nikki added: 'Poor fish and poor jelly - it had caught a brilliant meal, only to strand and die itself.

'A lot of fish live within the tentacles of jellies, to protect themselves from predators, but its a precarious life.

'One wrong move and they're lunch!'

The sighting comes shortly after hundreds of jellyfish were found in sea caves off the coast of south Devon, including poisonous species with powerful stings.

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Hundreds of jellyfish are found off the coast of the UK

Darren Murray discovered the large clusters of jellyfish when kayaking in and out of darkened caves between Sharkham Point and Kingswear in south Devon.

He was shocked when he turned on his torch to find the water was full of hundreds of different types of jellyfish.

Among the species he was able to identify were several that have poisonous stings.

It comes as authorities warn families and holidaymakers to take care on beaches, with official NHS guidance advising to look out for beach signs and not touch or handle sea creatures.

Swarms of jellyfish descend on beaches in heatwave

Swarms of powerful jellyfish are descending on beaches in the British Isles as it remains gripped by a heatwave.

While the sea creatures are no stranger to UK waters, sightings of the infamous lion's mane species have rocketed as our seas begin to warm up.

Lion's mane jellyfish can grow longer than a blue whale, and have the most severe sting of any jellyfish species found in British waters, often leaving their victims hospitalised.

And the venomous creatures have become more commonplace in recent years, with global warming making our ocean environment a more attractive location for them.

Dr Peter Richardson, head of ocean recovery at the Marine Conservation Society, said: 'Our national survey suggests significant recent rises in the numbers of some jellyfish species in UK seas, most notably the barrel jellyfish.

'The million-dollar question is why this is happening? At the moment we just don't know.'

Sightings of lion's manes in Blackpool, Anglesey and Galway follow the mass stranding of hundreds of barrel jellyfish in Weymouth, Dorset, last week. The creatures can grow up to 35in (90cm) wide and weigh as much as 55lbs (25kg).

With 6ft (1.8m) tentacles hanging beneath them, they are capable of delivering a powerful sting even after they have been washed up.

Several of the gelatinous creatures were washed onto beaches along the west coast of Lancashire last month - including in Blackpool - while large numbers were spotted in Hythe, Kent, at the weekend and some swimmers even received stings.

Three were hospitalised after they were stung by lion's manes in Galway, Ireland, during the hot weather last month. One woman was stung on the face, leading to the lifeguard on duty raising the red flag warning people not to enter the water.

Ten of the creatures were spotted floating in coastal waters by one member of a triathlon group during a 2.5-mile (4km) swim in Galway Bay.

Jellyfish are most commonly found in warm, shallow waters close to beaches. Most species found in the UK can only deliver a mild sting.

However if you see them collected together in large clusters known as blooms, it is advised to exit the water as soon as possible.

If you are stung, leave the water and carefully remove any stingers with tweezers before covering the affected area with vinegar or soaking in hot water.