More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
It would be safe to say that not many people would normally associate Kent with bizarre acts of nature.
But this could not be further from the truth. From spectacular sea sights to amazing animal displays, residents have been drawn to - or ran away from - plenty of surprising treats served up by mother nature. Here, KentOnline reporter Alex Jee has taken a look at some of the county's most spectacular.
The mystery of a million shellfish
Earlier this year, beachgoers were given a shock after 'millions' of shellfish washed up on the shore.
The small, squid-like creatures (later identified as sand gapers) were brought on to Littlestone beach by Storm Ciara in February.
Also known as soft-shell clams, the gapers were thrown out of the sea by the waves caused by the storm's dramatic effects.
Unfortunately for them they were then picked off by hungry hunters.
A silky display
Ashford residents were treated to another spectacular sight caused by thousands of animals - albeit ones which were still alive.
Neighbours and visitors to Mill Court gathered round to see a hedge completely covered in silky webbing.
The strange phenomenon was caused by hundreds of very hungry caterpillars - Ermine Moths to be precise - who create the web to protect themselves and their food.
Despite the resident's concerns, experts assured them that the little fellows were not poisonous.
Algae lights up the sea
Back on the coast, night-time beachgoers were wowed when the sea lit up an incredible blue.
The beautiful effects were caused by phytoplankton in the water which light up at night when moved by the waves.
The phenomenon is normally only seen in warmer climates but does occasionally appear along the Kent coast.
And the ocean isn't the only thing that can give us spectacular night-time light displays, as one young girl witnessed in Ramsgate...
Green Light in the Sky
When the 11-year-old first saw a strange green light in the sky, her first thought was (naturally) that it was caused by aliens.
There was a great deal of mystery over whether this threatening sight was a natural phenomenon, or something man-made (or other-worldly).
The most common explanation appears to be high air pressure causing an effect in the clouds that was then exacerbated by man-made lighting.
Was it the northern lights? Doubtful. Aliens? We're not at liberty to divulge that information.
The case of the bizarre - and oddly threatening - cloud formation
Of course, it doesn't need to be night-time for nature to be mildly threatening - as more or less the whole county found out in January.
Hundreds of people rushed for their cameras when a huge, ominous cloud passed over Kent like a scene from Independence Day.
Former ITV weatherman Ron Lobeck told KentOnline it was a stratocumulus that formed due to an “inversion” - a belt of warmer air form higher in the Earth’s atmosphere.
The cloud caused a storm on social media as it rolled slowly towards the coast for most of the day.
Invasion of the demon shrimp
Before you ask, yes, that is actually their name - believe me, we checked.
The spookily named invasive invertebrates, or Dikerogammarus haemobaphes, were found by Southern Water staff carrying out an ecological survey in the River Bewl last year.
The fresh water crustaceans have an almost see-through white body and 14 legs.
They are cousins to the Killer Shrimp (yes, again, that is their real name).
Flying ants so dense they could be seen from space
This really isn't an entry for anyone who is afraid of insects.
Almost exactly a year ago, the Met office were amazed to find that a patch of rain that they had picked up was more alive than they had thought.
The cloud, which was seen across southern England, turned out to be a massive swarm of flying ants in their 'nuptial flight' phase of reproduction.
Some people have referred to this time as 'flying ant day'.
A swarm welcome
One poor Folkestone resident also found themselves on the receiving end of a swarm - but in a much more direct sense.
Neighbours in Downs Road captured the moment a swarm of honey bees decided they wanted to set up their new home in a car.
The prime swarm was due to the queen bee leading a large amount of worker bees in search of a new hive.
Unfortunately for the car owner, beekeepers weren't able to locate the queen bee after being called to the scene.
Something to spout about
If the last two entries could be classed as creepy, this one might need to go into the downright terrifying category.
In 2018, seafarers spotted waterspouts spinning out in the sea just off the coast of Whistable and Herne Bay.
The columns of water are caused by whirlwinds that form over the ocean.
Fisherman Daniel Jadd said: "I've not seen anything like it before.
""It was amazing to watch. At one point there were about four or five trying to form, but the one I photographed was the most prominent."
