No. 1278 of 1,402
Bearded fireworm
Hermodice carunculata
Urchins, stars & worms🪮 Stinging hairs
Danger to people: PainfulIt can really hurt, but it is almost never serious.Bearded fireworm belongs to the group: Urchins, stars & worms. It lives in: The oceans.2
Venom power
Stinging hairs
Tiny hairs or bristles break off in the skin and sting.
How dangerous is it to people?
Danger to people: PainfulIt can really hurt, but it is almost never serious.🚑 If it bites or stings
- Put the wound in hot water, as hot as the person can stand without burning, and get medical help to remove spines. Do not dig for them yourself.
Always call your emergency number first (112, 000, 911). This is general first aid guidance, not medical advice. First aid basics
⛑️ Stay safe
- Never touch, catch or tease a wild animal, even a small one, and even if it looks asleep or dead.
- Give it space. If you meet one, stay calm, step back slowly and let it go its own way.
- If one bites or stings you: stay calm, keep still, call your emergency number (112, 000, 911) or get to a hospital fast. Remember what it looked like, a photo helps.
It is not out to get you. It uses its venom to catch food or to protect itself, and it would much rather hide. More about staying safe
Where in the world?
How big is it?
How long is it?
🧱as long as 5 toy building bricks in a row
How big is Bearded fireworm compared to YOU?
Just maths in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
How fast is it?
A garden snail about 0.05 km/h (0.03 mph)
A tortoise about 0.3 km/h (0.19 mph)
Bearded fireworm about 0.3 km/h (0.19 mph)
A person walking about 5 km/h (3.1 mph)
A kid on a bike about 12 km/h (7.5 mph)
Where the facts come from
- Hermodice carunculata (iNaturalist): names and classification.
- Venom Wiki: the danger level, the typical size and the speed guess are our own. See how we work them out: How we rate danger.
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