Jellyfish season is in full swing on Padre Island, and experts are warning both locals and holiday weekend visitors about dangerous creatures washing up on the beach right now.Jace Tunnell, Director of Community Engagement at th e Harte Research Institute at Texas AM University-Corpus Christi, said one species in particular poses a serious threat. Jellyfish season brings dangerous stings to Padre Island this holiday weekend"We've got a number of things washing up this week. Probably the one that people need to know about the most is the man o' war jellyfish, and these are the ones that sting, and I'd say out of a 1 to 10, these probably feel like a 9," Tunnell said.One of the biggest dangers is the reach of their tentacles. What might look like a small jellyfish floating nearby could actually reach a swimmer from dozens of feet away."This particular animal has really long tentacles that can go out, you know, this one probably 20 ft. The big adults can be 60 ft. So even though you think that you're going to try to avoid it, you want to stay very far away from it," Tunnell said.The danger does not end when a man o' war washes ashore. Tunnell warned that these creatures remain capable of stinging long after they appear lifeless on the sand."Just because it's washed up and it's on dry sand doesn't mean it's dead. That goes for sure with the man o' war. These things, even 3 days after, you know, it can still sting you," Tunnell said.Some beachgoers are already familiar with jellyfish stings. Noelle, a beachgoer on Padre Island, shared her experience."I have been stung by a jellyfish. I got stung last summer and it hurt pretty bad, but I just sat out on the beach for about 20 minutes and then I was back in the water," Noelle said.Man o' wars are not the only jellyfish species present on the beach right now. If stung by any species, Tunnell said beachgoers should seek help immediately."If people get stung at the beach, go to a lifeguard. Most of these beaches have a lifeguard station. They'll put vinegar on it and maybe meat tenderizer, and that'll kind of alleviate the pain," Tunnell said.Experts say the advice is simple: stay away, do not touch jellyfish on the beach or in the water, and if stung, find a lifeguard.For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today! ...read more read less