‘Jellyfish’ spotted in Greenville lake

DNR: Animals are native to Michigan waters

Updated: Tuesday, 04 Sep 2012, 10:29 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 04 Sep 2012, 8:31 PM EDT

GREENVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) – Two Greenville teens spotted a type of freshwater jellyfish in Montcalm County’s Como Lake that DNR officials say are not invasive.

Alec Martinez, 14, and his 13-year-old brother Trenton recently caught sight of a swarm of what appeared to be jellyfish, each about the size of a quarter, while on the lake. They captured a few of the creatures, took photos and then released them back into the lake.

Michigan DNR Fisheries Biologist Tom Goniea said animals known as freshwater jellyfish do exist in Michigan lakes.

He said the DNR gets calls about the jellyfish around this time every year and that he has received three reports in about the last week.

The jellyfish-like creatures are native — as opposed to invasive — species, Goniea said.

They do not sting and are not harmful to humans.

State DNR officials don’t know a lot about the jellyfish because he has never heard of anyone taking out a scientific permit to study them.

Ben Dykstra told 24 Hour News 8 via ReportIt that he caught some of the jellyfish-like creatures in Little Pine Island Lake in Comstock Park last week. He said the jellyfish have been in the lake for more than 40 years.

–Video courtesy Ben Dykstra–