I took my sweet girl Molly down to the beach this afternoon for a walk on the beach...a treat for both of us for sure.
While walking, I noticed many Portuguese man o' war laying on the beach. The Atlantic Portuguese man o' war, also known as a Man-of-War or Blue Bubble has a blue gas filled bladder that allows it to float on the top of the ocean with its tentacles submerged below the surface. Laying on the beach, the Portuguese man o' war is a pretty blue color, but make no 
mistake, the Portuguese man o' war is venomous, and it's sting is extremely painful resulting in long, open wounds that look like you have been whipped. A carnivore, the Portuguese man o' war feeds on small fish and plankton and uses its tentacles to catch it's prey and paralyze it with it's venom. Because the Portuguese man o' war has no way to propel itself, it is moved by the wind and the ocean tides. If you get stung by a Portuguese man o' war, salt water, hot water and urine can help in neutralizing the venom.
Now for the good news! 
Several marine species eat the Portuguese man o' war including our beloved Loggerhead turtles here in Brevard County. It's all a part of the circle of life and the food chain my friends.
Molly was quite intrigued by these little Blue Bubbles on the beach, but, I was very careful to not let her near them. It's all a part of living in paradise!
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