Yes, you could see a jellyfish in Kansas

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Kansas is home to various unique and even rare species of animals, including the cave salamander and the black-footed ferret.

It’s also home to a creature that is definitely a fish out of water: jellyfish. Craspedacusta sowerbii to be exact.

It was first recorded in the U.S. in the 1880s in Pennsylvania. In Kansas, it has been spotted several times in isolated areas .

The jellyfish have been found in a pond in Tonganoxie, Melvern Lake, an outdoor minnow breeding tank in Wakarusa, and a quarry near Moundridge. The latest sighting was in 2020 in Melvern Lake, which was reported to the Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays, who did a Facebook Live video about it, showing off the samples .

This species of jellyfish is found in bodies of water across America and on every continent except Antarctica. Its native habitat is the Yangtze River Valley in China.

Unlike zebra muscles or the Asian carp, it is not considered an invasive species because it doesn’t compete for resources with other animals. Although they can sting their prey just like saltwater jellyfish, they are likely too small to affect humans.

The Craspedacusta sowerbii, or peach blossom jellyfish, is believed to spread by hitching a ride on waterfowl or through ornamental water plants that were imported from China. Neighboring Missouri is also home to the species .

The jellyfish live mainly in still waters like lakes and ponds. They may be in more bodies of water across the state but haven’t been spotted yet.

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