By-the-Wind Sailor
Velella velella
A small blue oval with a clear triangular sail, blown ashore in huge rafts.
- Typical size
- 1–3 in
- How often it turns up
- Seasonally abundant
- Collecting
- Usually legal to collect
- Handling
- May irritate skin
Dried sails can be collected once the animal is gone, but avoid handling fresh ones.
How to tell it apart
- Flat blue oval with an upright clear sail
- Under three inches
- Arrives in mass strandings
Found one?
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