BUXTON, N.C. — Officials from the Cape Hatteras National Seashore are raising awareness about the Glaucus atlanticus, or blue sea dragons, a species of venomous sea slugs, that are washing up on the Outer Banks.
They usually live out in the open ocean, but strong winds can cause them to strand themselves in shallower water and eventually wash up on shore.
The sea slugs are only an inch long, but their primary food source is the highly venomous jellyfish species called the Portuguese man o' war. This means the blue sea dragons can inflict a sting more powerful than the man o' war, which means people should avoid touching the creatures.
"If you come across one of these blue beauties, admire it from a safe distance and be cautious of more nearby," Cape Hatteras officials wrote on a Facebook post. "If they are discovered, dead or alive, they remain venomous."
The blue sea dragons tend to travel in "blue fleets," they said, so if one is spotted, there is likely more in the vicinity.