Community Corner

Is Your Swim More Crowded Than Usual?

The Rhode Island Department of Health says the crustacean isopods swarming around local beaches don't pose a health threat.

Swimmers at southern Rhode Island beaches have been finding more than seaweed, rocks, and sand under the water — crowds of tiny crustacean isopods that have hatched and are floating just offshore.

Timothy Coen, beach manager at Sachuest Beach in Middletown, told the Providence Journal that he found "millions" of the small mullosk-like bugs and alerted the state Department of Health about them.

Quoting Dara Chadwick, spokeswoman for the Health Department, the Journal reported that the critters have been seen at beaches in Middletown, Newport, Narragansett, and North and South Kingstown.

Chadwick also said that the salt water creatures aren't known to bite people and don't pose a health threat — but recommended that swimmers wash off after leaving the water where the isopods are, since their shells and scales could cause skin irritation.

Tell Us: Have you seen crustacean isopods in the water where you swim? Have you cut your swimming short because of them?

Let us know in the comments.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here