Madam,

As a long-time resident of Bermuda, Portuguese-Man-O’War capital of the world, please allow me to offer some reassurance to your readers in the wake of reports that there is currently an influx of them on our shores.

Yes, the sting of even a tiny, broken–off piece of their tentacles on your skin burns badly.

If your child is stung, they’re going to be miserable for a while, needing copious distractions of ice-cream.

But, having said that, the danger isn’t as bad as many other, more common outdoor hazards:

Although painful, as far as I know, the sting isn’t poisonous or infectious, like an insect bite or even a cut from broken glass.

I’ve never heard of anyone having an allergic reaction. When I asked our doctor if I could take my tiny baby in the sea, he replied that the danger to her from a ‘POW’ was ‘small compared to the danger of a wasp or bee sting’.

I never heard of a fatality, even though lots of people were stung all through the year.

People swimming in very deep water occasionally swam into a bunch of tentacles and went into temporary shock, but that was very rare.

There are two common remedies which really work: a slosh of vinegar and heat, both of which neutralize the chemical causing the burn. You can bring a hot-pack and a bottle of vinegar with you to the beach. In the sea, a bodysuit and goggles/facemask protect the eyes, and crocs on the beach.

I hope readers will take comfort from this ‘anecdotal evidence’. But don’t take my word for it, there are internet sites which can clarify the situation. By next summer all the Portuguese Men O’War will probably have disappeared.

Yours, etc,

Susan Rollins, Bermuda.

Have your say on the local issues affecting you - email [email protected] or join in the conversation on our Facebook page