Observations of Portuguese man-of-war along Porto Santo beach are typical for this season and are expected to increase in the coming month.
A significant number washed ashore in Caniçal, especially at Prainha.
Recent sightings of Portuguese man-of-war within the Madeira archipelago have been sporadic; however, the substantial quantity discovered on Prainha beach warrants attention, as noted in a recent Reddit post.
The Portuguese man-of-war’s venom is comparable to a black widow spider’s, inducing intense pain and burns, potentially resulting in permanent scarring from third-degree burns. This organism lacks independent locomotion; its gas bladder (extending up to 15 cm above the water’s surface) allows wind and currents to dictate its movement. Its coloration ranges from bluish to pink or purple, with tentacles reaching up to 50 meters.