Mother nature fighting back, ouch thats got to hurt!
(CNN) -- Hundreds of people trying to enjoy the Memorial Day weekend on Atlantic beaches in central Florida encountered an unwelcome surprise: swarms of purplish, stinging jellyfish.
More than 800 people at beaches from Cocoa Beach to Cape Canaveral have been stung, Brevard County Ocean Rescue officials said.
Assistant Chief Eisen Witcher said the reports began coming in Friday, but as the Memorial Day weekend got into full swing, the numbers increased dramatically.
"Saturday, we got about 200 reports. Sunday, we got another 250," he said.
All weekend long, countless numbers of jellyfish washed up on shores, standing out against the sand due to their distinctive hue.
"They're very visible because of their color," Witcher said. "They come in large amounts, very large groups."
Witcher said Brevard County shores are more familiar with Portuguese man o' war and cannonball jellyfish, not this current species, which he said he believes are called mauve stingers.
"This time of year, this can happen when the conditions are perfect for jellyfish to wash up. You have an onshore breeze combined with an east swell."
The stings cause itching, burning and rashes and can sometimes spur an allergic reaction.
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