California Isn't Always on Fire. Sometimes There are Bugs

California isn't always breaking records with fires. Sometimes, they also struggle with sea bugs. Well, not exactly bugs per say. Isopods are the culprit behind the "sea bug" bites. Resembling something between a flea and a shrimp, isopods are small crustaceans that feed on a variety of things including but not limited to moss, vegetation, decaying flesh and vegetation, and human flesh.

You may be familiar with the pill bug also referred to as a "rolly-polly," and that's actually a species of isopod. There are over 10,000 species of isopods, most of which are water dwelling. Surprisingly, the species of isopod that is currently behind the foot munchings are actually quite common along the coast of California.

Should you be scared to go to the beach? No. These little critters, like most other animals, have a migratory pattern and are more active in some months than others. More than likely, that is what is going on with the increase in bites and not something more nefarious. Beach goers should just be a bit more careful when visiting and avoid any parts of the beach that have obvious signs of scavengers as the tiniest scavengers might be present and take a nibble.

Isopods have not been known to be a threat to people and while the bite from a swarm of them is not pleasant, the bite of an isopod is not life threatening. That is to say, they are not necessarily not a threat to other aquatic life; isopods have been known to be parasitic to some aquatic life and will even consume the tongue and live in larger fish, consuming the fish's resources until it dies. Ultimately to consume the host as well. Which is why isopods are important - they mostly consume the flesh of dead and/or dying animals that make their way to the water hence the ocean doesn't smell like dead fish, and you don't often see fish corpses washing up on the beach. Isopods are scavenging animals, so they have to have sharp teeth to tear into flesh and tissue in order to cut quickly and cleanly into the skin.

The only time they actually pose a threat to humans is when there is a sea bound body, as isopods will destroy evidence and features needed for identification as they aid in decomposition. This isn't the first time that isopods have made the news for drawing blood. In 2017, a related species of scavenging isopod was thought to have bitten a teenager in Melbourne, Australia, hard enough to cause severe bleeding. It is suspected that the teen walked into a group of isopods as they were feeding on something else in the water. To be clear, people aren't seeing bites from a single isopod, but a swarm of them is causing wounds on people who take a chance with the water.

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