Mauve stinger jellyfishSome animals like to hang in packs but none more so than the mauve stinger jellyfish. These slimy critters have been seen massing in millions for miles on end. In recent years, they have been making their way inland to Spanish beaches and are now slowly but surely heading for France and Italy.

What is causing these jellyfish to go from the ocean to the beaches? The rising ocean temperatures and over fishing have seen a decline in the number of jellyfish eating animals like sea turtles causing a population explosion. And this year the Cote D’Azur, particularly the beach of Darse, has also had near perfect weather for the mauve stingers to breed causing them to invade.

The jellyfish are easy to distinguish. They are bright purple by day and glow yellow by night. They have eight tentacles that can grow up to six feet long each. These tentacles can wrap themselves and invoke a powerful, painful sting that can bring on asthma attacks and sometimes heart failure.

In order to keep these unwanted creatures off the beaches and in the ocean, city’s like Cannes have put up floating barriers while Italy’s coast has launched an off shore program called Jellywatch.

Want to check out this uncanny sight? Check out some of these coastal hotels for a closer look… but not too close!

2 Star Alexandre III in Cannes, France

4 Star Beau Rivage in Nice, Italy

4 Star Parador in Aiguablava, Italy