Have you seen an increase in sightings of Portuguese man o' war along Alabama beaches?

The Portuguese man o' war, which looks similar to a regular jellyfish, can be violet, blue or pink in color and can cause severe pain to someone stung by its tentacles. Joethan Phillips, beach safety chief at Gulf Shores Fire Rescue, said it is best not to swim near them as their tentacles can be "hanging many feet underneath them."

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) website, a Portuguese man o' war's floating, balloon-like top rises to 6 inches. The tentacles can grow to an average of about 30 feet and may extend to around 100 feet.

"The tentacles contain stinging nematocysts, microscopic capsules loaded with coiled, barbed tubes that deliver venom capable of paralyzing and killing small fish and crustaceans," the website reads. "While the man o' war's sting is rarely deadly to people, it packs a painful punch and causes welts on exposed skin."

Mendel Graeber, educator at Dauphin Island Sea Lab's Alabama Aquarium, said the proper response to a man o' war sighting is to "enjoy the beauty of the colorful animal, but be cautious about touching." Graeber said it is "not advisable to try to return them to the water" after they have washed up on the beach as they can still sting even after it has washed ashore.

Phillips said, "If someone is stung, the main thing to do is remove any remaining tentacles with a credit card, scraping in a downward motion or, using a gloved hand, remove any visible tentacles."

Graeber agreed with first removing the tentacles and stinging cells with a card of some sort. She said to run hot water over the area to treat the pain. For stronger, continuous pain, she suggested hydrocortisone cream.

According to Phillips, the pain from the sting can last anywhere from about 20 minutes to several hours and, while several treatments are recommended, nothing has been "scientifically proven to work" for the pain. Because of this, Phillips said the best thing you can do to a man o' war is "leave it alone."

If stung, redness and swelling in the area are normal and may last for a few days, Phillips said. He said the condition of the "victim" should be monitored closely, and medical transport should be requested if necessary.

The NOAA website says the Portuguese man o' war is a species of siphonophore, which are closely related to jellyfish. It also states the man o' war got its name from its resemblance to an 18th-century Portuguese warship under full sail.

NOAA's website says that man o' war can "sometimes float in legions of 1,000 or more." Phillips said hundreds to thousands of man o' wars wash up on Alabama beaches each year, but "unlike jellyfish, they tend to not stick around as long."

"They are found this time of the year and in the spring," Phillips said. "They are mostly found in the Atlantic Jet Stream, and, depending on how close the jet stream is to our area or when we have surf, currents or winds coming from the southeast, they will drift to our area."

As previously reported by GCM, Melvin Shepard, chief of staff at Gulf Shores Fire Rescue, said on Portuguese man o' war, "don't step on their tentacles, and avoid the urge to bury them in the sand. Even if you throw it far out or bury them, they can still sting for several days after drying out."

There is no timeline for when to expect the man o' wars to leave, according to Phillips. However, he said they typically are "more prevalent in the winter and spring," so man o' war sightings can be expected for the next few months.

To avoid an unfriendly interaction with a man o' war, beachgoers can check the daily surf condition flags. According to Gulf Shores' and Orange Beach's daily beach safety report, a purple flag means "marine pests," such as man o' war or jellyfish, are present and to use caution on the beaches.

To sign up for text alerts for daily surf conditions and warning flags (including when a purple flag is present) text ALBEACHES to 888777. Residents and visitors can also receive weather updates to confirm ideal beach days through Alert Baldwin at baldwincountyal.gov.