sea bugs

Loafster · 07-20-2007

I have been doing searches and have come up empty handed. We were in Playa last week. My son and I were in a SMALL sectioned off part of the lagoon at the Catalonia. My son was sitting in the water looking at the slugs on the rocks. I was sitting on the rocks. All of a sudden he starts rubbing his chest and stood up complaining that he couldn't take it anymore.

I had no idea of what he was talking about. He starts lifting his legs and rubbing his knees in pain. He said he had pins and needles everywhere and it was really hurting him. It happened so fast I couldn't figure out what happened. I looked in the water and didn't see any jellyfish. The only thing in the water were slugs and these little "bugs" that looked a little like a centipede but shorter and fatter. It was gray/silver in color. They were climbing on and under the rocks in the lagoon.

He had welts on his arm and upper thigh. I gave him benedryl and they eventually went away but it really scared us because it came on him so quickly.

Has anyone ever seen these? I would love to know what they are AND if they bite.

tomkat · 07-20-2007

Try a search on SEA LICE.

fgriffith · 07-20-2007

yeesh... sounds nasty... whatever they were.

MaripositaII · 07-20-2007

The first week in Playa my son developed a rash all over his body and that was close to Mamitas. It took a good four days before the rash faded. We never figured out what caused this reaction. Thank goodness we had Benadryl. I got stung by something a couple times and the last time whatever it was attacked both breasts! Must have been males

**james** · 07-20-2007

sounds like agua mala (sea lice)

Loafster · 07-20-2007

I did a search on sea lice but the only picture of sea lice did not look like these "bugs". If I had to describe the picture that the internet shows of sea lice, it would be that it looks like a small horse shoe crab--nothing like the "bugs" we saw.

Opatije · 07-20-2007

Have a look at this...

Copepod - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loafster

I did a search on sea lice but the only picture of sea lice did not look like these "bugs". If I had to describe the picture that the internet shows of sea lice, it would be that it looks like a small horse shoe crab--nothing like the "bugs" we saw.

**james** · 07-20-2007

I don't think what you are describing as 'bugs' had anything to do with it, but that it was sea lice. Sea lice isn't visible under most conditions.

Loafster · 07-20-2007

Same size and color but not enough hairy legs.

Thanks though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Opatije

Have a look at this...

Copepod - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Playa4 · 07-20-2007

I thought sea lice (a larval jellyfish) usually only effected you under your bathing suit. Could he have come in contact with some sort of algae or coral?

**james** · 07-20-2007

it can get you anywhere

Joana · 07-20-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Playa4

I thought sea lice (a larval jellyfish) usually only effected you under your bathing suit. Could he have come in contact with some sort of algae or coral?

Unfortunately they can get you, and good, without bathing-suit intervention as well. The bathing suit makes it worse, as they get stuck in it........but I came up more than once with problems in spaces that were not covered at all.

TAPPY · 07-21-2007

Loafster...hope you wll do a trip report of your visit to the Cat !!!

FrankRN · 07-21-2007

Thanks a lot .... looks like I'm sticking with the pool. Yuck!

**Susie Q Roo** · 07-21-2007

I thought spring was sea lice/ agua mala season, no? Isn't it too late to have been that?

07-20-2007	#1 (permalink)
Loafster beachaholic Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 421	sea bugs I have been doing searches and have come up empty handed. We were in Playa last week. My son and I were in a SMALL sectioned off part of the lagoon at the Catalonia. My son was sitting in the water looking at the slugs on the rocks. I was sitting on the rocks. All of a sudden he starts rubbing his chest and stood up complaining that he couldn't take it anymore. I had no idea of what he was talking about. He starts lifting his legs and rubbing his knees in pain. He said he had pins and needles everywhere and it was really hurting him. It happened so fast I couldn't figure out what happened. I looked in the water and didn't see any jellyfish. The only thing in the water were slugs and these little "bugs" that looked a little like a centipede but shorter and fatter. It was gray/silver in color. They were climbing on and under the rocks in the lagoon. He had welts on his arm and upper thigh. I gave him benedryl and they eventually went away but it really scared us because it came on him so quickly. Has anyone ever seen these? I would love to know what they are AND if they bite.

07-20-2007	#5 (permalink)
james beach geek admin Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: 10 year Playa resident lost in Kullavik, Sweden Posts: 9,613	sounds like agua mala (sea lice) __________________ My lovely house is for sale Get your own signature countdown image! Thanks for taking the time to read the announcement!

07-20-2007	#8 (permalink)
james beach geek admin Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: 10 year Playa resident lost in Kullavik, Sweden Posts: 9,613	I don't think what you are describing as 'bugs' had anything to do with it, but that it was sea lice. Sea lice isn't visible under most conditions. __________________ My lovely house is for sale Get your own signature countdown image! Thanks for taking the time to read the announcement!

07-20-2007	#11 (permalink)
james beach geek admin Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: 10 year Playa resident lost in Kullavik, Sweden Posts: 9,613	it can get you anywhere __________________ My lovely house is for sale Get your own signature countdown image! Thanks for taking the time to read the announcement!

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07-20-2007	#2 (permalink)
tomkat toe in water Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 48	Try a search on SEA LICE.

07-20-2007	#3 (permalink)
fgriffith lost on fifth Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Arlington, Virginia Posts: 17	yeesh... sounds nasty... whatever they were.

07-20-2007	#4 (permalink)
MaripositaII añejo Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 3,395	The first week in Playa my son developed a rash all over his body and that was close to Mamitas. It took a good four days before the rash faded. We never figured out what caused this reaction. Thank goodness we had Benadryl. I got stung by something a couple times and the last time whatever it was attacked both breasts! Must have been males

07-20-2007	#6 (permalink)
Loafster beachaholic Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 421	I did a search on sea lice but the only picture of sea lice did not look like these "bugs". If I had to describe the picture that the internet shows of sea lice, it would be that it looks like a small horse shoe crab--nothing like the "bugs" we saw.

07-20-2007	#10 (permalink)
Playa4 into ruins Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 78	I thought sea lice (a larval jellyfish) usually only effected you under your bathing suit. Could he have come in contact with some sort of algae or coral?

07-21-2007	#13 (permalink)
TAPPY añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Louisiana Posts: 14,932	Loafster...hope you wll do a trip report of your visit to the Cat !!!

07-21-2007	#14 (permalink)
FrankRN añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boston, MA USA Posts: 1,910	Thanks a lot .... looks like I'm sticking with the pool. Yuck!

07-21-2007	#15 (permalink)
Susie Q Roo paradisiac Join Date: May 2003 Location: Q Roo Posts: 10,524	I thought spring was sea lice/ agua mala season, no? Isn't it too late to have been that?

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