Florida officials warn of sea lice outbreak at Pensacola beach that could cause skin rashes

Lifeguards at a Florida beach have posted purple flags up early on Tuesday to warn beach-goers about sea lice. 

Dave Greenwood, director of public safety for Pensecola Beach, shared that stinging sea lice are tiny jellyfish larvae and jellyfish cells.

‘They aren’t very intense, which is why we call them sea lice and not sea hornets or sea wasps,’ he said, according to the Pensacola News Journal.  

Dave Greenwood, director of public safety for Pensecola Beach, shared that stinging sea lice are tiny jellyfish larvae and jellyfish cells and have been seen in the area

Sea Lice are also known as thimble jellyfish and can cause dermatitis, or small red bumps on a person's body

Sea Lice are also known as thimble jellyfish and can cause dermatitis, or small red bumps on a person’s body

Sea Lice are also known as thimble jellyfish and can cause dermatitis, or small red bumps on a person’s body. People can sometimes feel a prickly feeling but most show signs of exposure four to 24 hours later. 

Some rashes are accompanied by a slew of other symptoms including diarrhea and vomiting. 

Some rashes are accompanied by a slew of other symptoms including diarrhea and vomiting

Some rashes are accompanied by a slew of other symptoms including diarrhea and vomiting

Common on area beaches, sea lice spend most of their time in warm waters.  

They can not survive outside of warm water and will not latch unto the body once a person gets out of water. 

‘It’s just one of those you have to deal with when you go into the Gulf of Mexico,’ he said. ‘You are a land animal and the Gulf is not our native environment.’ 

Purple flags are flown to warn visitors about marine life. 

On Tuesday morning, green flags were also flying which signals for calm waters. 

Greenwood shared that lifeguards would watch the water throughout the day and look to see when the sea lice had depleted. 

Purple flags are flown to warn visitors about marine life (a flag in Miami) 

Purple flags are flown to warn visitors about marine life (a flag in Miami) 

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