California Beach Goers Are Getting Attacked By Feet Eating ‘Mini Shark’ Bugs And I’m Staying Out Of The Water

We all go to the beach expecting to watch out for things like sharks and jellyfish, but none of us even think about steering clear of beach bugs.

Californians, however, are learning the hard way that they need to be diligent to stay away from a migrating crustacean species that hangs out on the waterline.

They are named Excirolana chiltoni, but beachgoers know them as “Mini Sharks,” because they will attack your feet as you stand in the ocean.

According to Fox News, these “Mini Sharks” grow to be around 0.3 inches long. They gather in swarms of near 1,000 individual “bugs,” and will aggressively attack the feet of those who dare get near.

These little buggers will actually draw blood as they chew into the flesh of your feet.

Now, these sea bugs are itty bitty, so the bites are small — think pin prick. But, just because they are tiny doesn’t mean they are painless — the bites HURT.

People attacked by the isopods describe the bite as being “painful” and “surprising,” noting how the bugs looked like a group of tiny piranhas had attacked their feet and ankles.

Fox News

These “Mini Sharks” live in the shallow waters of the Pacific Ocean, and they migrate up and down the coast.

Experts say that if you quickly shuffle your feet back and forth, it may cut down on the number of bites. Unfortunately, however, it will not completely eliminate the bugs from chomping on your feet.

California hasn’t issued any official warnings about these “Mini Sharks.” BUT, if you are visiting the coast, make sure you watch out for these carnivorous beach bugs.