Beware of Blue Buttons: Invasive Jellyfish-like Creatures Washing Up on Texas Beaches

Blue Buttons, jellyfish-like creatures, have been washing up on Texas beaches, specifically at Galveston Island State Park. These bright blue hydrozoa are not single creatures but colonies of small hydroid animals. They have stinging nematocysts in their tentacles, which can cause skin irritation if touched. Blue Buttons are drawn to shorelines by plankton blooms and can appear in various colors. They float and release waste through their mouths.