VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Volusia County beachgoers were confused recently by something unusual washing up on the sandy shores.
Many thought it was fiberglass, but Volusia County Beach Safety said that's not the case.
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Officials said the mini marine organisms are a pteropod called cresis acicula, more commonly known as a sea butterfly.
Currents generated by tropical storms and hurricanes bring the needle-shaped sea snails from their usual home in the warm Caribbean waters to the Sunshine State.
Sea butterflies use their tongues to propel their cylindrical silica bodies, creating a movement that resembles a flutter.
Though they float like a butterfly, they also sting like a bee. Their sharp bodies can stick into the skin like a splinter and multiple pricks can lead to small, reddish bumps.
Officials say it's not an allergic reaction because sea butterflies are non-toxic.
For more information on things to watch out for at Florida beaches, click here.