Check out this awesome creature my husband and I spotted on a recent trip to Florida:

Isn’t it beautiful?! It’s called a Portuguese Man o’ War. I had never seen one in person, only in science books in high school…. but I remembered its unique look with its long, tangled tentacles. Drawn to its transparent body and gorgeous blue-green color, I got down on its level to take a few shots, and while I was studying it, it moved. I was a little startled because I had thought it was dead, but it was still alive and kicking in the little pool left behind by the tide. As it moved, it appeared to be raising up to get a closer look at me, or maybe to wave at the camera? See….

Well, it wasn’t actually waving at me, but rolling around in the water since it needs to stay wet in order to survive. This one was about 14 inches in length, and it appeared to have several babies floating around it. At one point, a curious teenager came over and scooped up one of the babies in a cup, and put it a few feet away in the same pool. Almost like magic, the baby seemed to be drawn to its mother, and it quickly floated right back and tucked itself near her side.

Very neat little creatures, indeed.