British swimmers have been warned to steer clear of seafront lakes in Clevedon and Weston-super-Mare following reports that bathers have been bitten by ‘flesh-eating lice’.
Swimmers have felt ‘stings’ and ‘nips’ while swimming, and after exiting the water have noticed red patches on their body, while other bathers have even said they found lice in their swimwear.
At current, theories on what’s causing the stings range from jellyfish larvae to sea lice.
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According to The Sun, The Marine Lake Enthusiasts Society has seen an uptick in reports and is now advising people to stay out of the lakes until fresh tides flush out the suspected lice.
A spokesperson for Clevedon Marine Lake said: "These critters get in the lake when the sea comes over the wall and they do bite or sting. For most people, it's just a little scratch sensation, but some of us more sensitive types can get a rash.
"The bad news is that there's nothing we can do to stop them – it's natural water and sea life lives in it, plus the water coming over the sea wall is much needed to keep the lake water fresh."
While lice aren’t dangerous to humans, in order to survive at the beginning of their life cycle, they have to attach themselves to fish, which can not only make the fish unmarketable, but kill them all together.
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Without fish, the lice can’t survive, as the small crustaceans grow by feeding on the blood of fish. Yum.
Back in July, Brits were given another grim warning, this time over an unusual froth spotted in gardens over the summer months.
The strange substance, known as the spittle, is usually found clumped onto plant stems or in long grass.
Although the balls of foam seem innocuous, anyone who spots the froth is urged to report it as it is potentially harmful.
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The foam is linked to the spread of a deadly plant disease which can harm native species, Yorkshire Live reported at the time.
The substance is produced by an insect called a spittlebug, who layers itself in a ball of froth for protection as it sucks on the sap from a plant for nutrition.
As a result, their babies, known as froghoppers (adorbs), then hatch on a plant or in long grass with the leftover foam.
Thankfully, the insect is only active from the end of May to the end of June, so any avid gardeners out there are likely in the clear by now.
Aisha Nozari