Jellyfish in the Great Lakes? No Way. They’re only in the Ocean, Right?

It sounds so far fetched, it can't be true. Jellyfish in the Great Lakes. What a silly thing because all the Great Lakes are fresh water lakes, not saltwater. Besides, we don't have to worry about sharks and other deep sea creatures that are pretty scary to think about.

But.....if you said no way are Jellyfish here, you would be wrong!

WOOD TV8 had a story that said, in fact, we do have Jellyfish in the Great Lakes, Freshwater jellyfish, and they were first found here almost 100-years ago in the 1930s.

FRESH WATER JELLYFISH

They were first thought brought to the Great Lakes from China hiding in ornamental aquatic plants and since then have been found in 45 states. They have been found in Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair and dozens of inland lakes and streams, including several West Michigan lakes. Really?

Yep. Lakes such as Fenner Lake and Upper Scott Lake in Allegan County, Fine Lake in Barry County, Little Pine Island Lake in Kent County and Pettibone Lake in Newaygo County. Oh, yuck! Really makes you want to jump right in for a swim, doesn't it.

TOTALLY CREEPY JELLYFISH ON SHORE

However, experts say there is probably nothing to worry about. You don’t have to worry about swimming alongside freshwater jellyfish, because, unlike their salt water bretheren who sting thousands of swimmers worldwide every year that might lead from mild discomfort to serious injury or even death, our skin is too thick for them to penetrate, and besides, they don't think we're prey anyway. Okay, that's good.

EATING SUSHI/JELLYFISH

Even though the saltwater Jellyfish are eaten by humans in certain cultures, they are considered a delicacy in some Asian countries, I'm pretty glad they're not on our American menus. I'll go for sushi, even octopus, but I'm going to draw the line at jellyfish.

Just watch out the next time you dive into one of our lakes.

I wonder if you could actually catch one while ice fishing? Probably wouldn't put up much of a fight.