THE beautiful yet mysterious blue dragons have been spotted on Hunter beaches once again, arriving alongside the recent armada of bluebottles.
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Also known as Glaucus atlanticus, the sea creatures can administer a hurtful sting and were spotted washed up at Redhead this week.
The creatures are a species of brightly colored sea slug or nudibranch and despite the rumours, they are not considered "deadly" unless of course you are a delicious bluebottle.
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Marine scientist and SeaWeek Australia program coordinator Sarah-Jo Lobwein, who previously spoke with Australian Community Media about the blue dragons, thinks it's always special to see the marine species.
She said Glaucus are often spotted during the summer months on the east coast of Australia when they wash up on beaches, but it is dependent on wind direction, the season and tidal changes.
She explained they float on the surface of the ocean and most people are only aware of their existence when onshore winds blow them onto beaches.
Mrs Lobwein said people are most likely to see the species after the highest tide of the day.
However, she advises people not to touch them.
"You can get stung because it carries the stinging cells it gains from the bluebottles," she said.
As the Glaucus atlanticus feeds on bluebottles, they are often seen when bluebottles also occur in high numbers on the beaches.
"However, sometimes you'll see a lot of bluebottles and not a lot of Glaucus - like in winter," Mrs Lobwein said.
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Liz Langdale
Jessica Brown
Jessica began her journalism career in 2009 as a cadet at The Port Stephens Examiner before moving to London for a two-year stint working in magazines and digital publishing. The Lake Macquarie local returned to Australia where she took up a reporting role at The Maitland Mercury. She worked across several rounds including local council, police and property before moving into digital journalism and joining the team at The Newcastle Herald in 2017.
Jessica began her journalism career in 2009 as a cadet at The Port Stephens Examiner before moving to London for a two-year stint working in magazines and digital publishing. The Lake Macquarie local returned to Australia where she took up a reporting role at The Maitland Mercury. She worked across several rounds including local council, police and property before moving into digital journalism and joining the team at The Newcastle Herald in 2017.
