Mauve Stingers

  

Last week we observed many of these colorful jellyfish washed up on beaches in Truro and Provincetown, MA.  It looks like this is Pelagia noctiluca, sometimes known as the Mauve Stinger.

The pink/purple coloration was noticeable:

  

As was the dark spotting pattern (at least on some individuals).  A warning: This species is known to have a severe sting.  The dark spots might be clusters of stinging cells, so be careful if you encounter this jellyfish.

 

 

I'm not sure how common this species is on the Outer Cape, so am posting photos for the record.  (There were also thousands of salps, Thalia democratica, washed ashore on 28 September 2022.)

Agility training?

 

 

This wonderful jumping spider was jumping (and I mean jumping!) across a trail to Race Point beach in Provincetown, MA, today (28 September 2022).  

 

I think it might be Habronattus agilis (agilis would be a good descriptor).  Check out its cool alternating stripes: 

 

 

 

P.S.  For a fun video clip of this species (and many others), see Dick Walton's web page on jumping spiders here.  

Coastal scenes

A few more coastal scenes from our visit to Cape Cod and the South Shore of Massachusetts:

From Chatham:

 

 

From Provincetown (including wild cranberries):

 

 

From Humarock:

 

Beach stones, water, and light

 

Eric captured this nice photo of beach stones under a shallow current of moving water near the mouth of Hatches Harbor in Provincetown, MA, yesterday (2 October 2019).  

Dangerous droplets

 

Close-up of a Spatulate-leaved Sundew (Drosera intermedia).  Photographed in the dunes near Race Point in Provincetown, Massachusetts, on 2 October 2019.