NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) -- Along the shores of the Grand Strand, beachgoers have encountered strange, tiny sea creatures that are sending some of them limping off the sand.

Sea butterflies, according to the Smithsonian, are a very small type of sea snail, classified as a pteropod, due to their adapted feet that move like butterfly wings as they move through the ocean. Their delicate, clear, and needle-like shells make them look and feel like shards of glass.

They normally dwell in the upper levels of the ocean and due to upwelling, which can occur during a storm like Hurricane Erin, they can drift ashore via strong ocean currents.

The majority of reports of sea butterflies washing ashore have come from the North Myrtle Beach area, but they have appeared along other beaches nearb

See Full Page