By: Sean Godlewski

Have you seen these blue jellyfish like creatures washing up on Bay Area beaches?

They’re called, Velella velella. Little is known about the creatures, and scientists are still trying to figure out why they are washing up along the west coast. According to KPCC, there have been reports of the creatures stranded as far down as San Diego and as far north as Oregon, blanketing the coasts.

As explained in reports, each Velella velella is actually each composed of hundreds of tiny creatures, hydrozoans, clustered to create a purple body with the fin-like structure. The creatures, also nicknamed “by-the-wind sailors” because of their sail-like fin, feed off of plankton, and according to the Daily Mail, they “drift around in huge flotillas.”

As reported in The Guardian, the Velella velella may be getting stranded because of global climate change, though another thing to consider is the migration of the Velella velella is partially driven by wind, and the winds this season have been reportedly unusual.

Keep in mind they sting their prey like jellyfish, but if you manage to take some photos of these magical sea creatures, send them our way!