Are There Really Jellyfish Swimming In Minnesota Lakes!?

Do you think you know everything that is in water in Minnesota lakes? What about stinging Jellyfish?

By definition, a Jellyfish is a free-swimming marine coelenterate with a gelatinous bell- or saucer-shaped body that is typically transparent and has stinging tentacles around the edge.

When I think of Jellyfish I think of the floating, transparent, stinging blobs that you find in the oceans or on the beaches.

The diverse jellyfish family encompasses more than 200 distinct species.

Of all of those the Common Jellyfish stands out as the most widely recognized member.

The Common Jellyfish has a transparent, saucer-shaped bell, adorned with four pink or orange horseshoe-shaped structures at its center and it can sting.

A jellyfish's sting frequently results in immediate discomfort and visible, inflamed markings on the affected area of skin.

However, in certain instances, these stings can lead to more severe, systemic reactions throughout the entire body.

So are there any Jellyfish in freshwater Minnesota lakes?

Yes! Freshwater jellyfish have been found in lakes and other waters throughout Minnesota.

These creatures can thrive in nearly any type of water body provided that the conditions are favorable.

They are characterized by a translucent or transparent bell-shaped body, approximately the size of a dime or nickel.

Jimmy Ography posted a video he captured in the water of Leech Lake by Walker, Minnesota.

The freshwater jellyfish are not native to Minnesota. It's believed they came to Minnesota from the Yangtze River valley in China.

Minnesota DNR fisheries researcher John Hoxmeier told MPR News that “they don’t appear to have a negative impact on our lakes.”

And the good news is...these Jellyfish are too small to sting humans.

That's one less thing to worry about when you are swimming this summer on your Minnesota vacation.