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Mystery substance staining beachgoers' feet in Maine identified as bugs
June 9 (UPI) -- An ocean researcher said the mysterious black substance that has been staining the feet of visitors to Maine beaches is actually the crushed remains of tiny insects.
The York County Parks and Recreation Department said on its website that Department of Environmental Protection officials were investigating after multiple visitors to southern Maine beaches reported the bottoms of their feet had been stained by a black substance that was difficult to wash off.
The substance was initially thought to be algae, but John Lillibridge, a recently retired oceanographer from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, examined a sample through a microscope and made a surprising discovery.
"Much to our surprise, it wasn't some kind of algae or an oil spill like you would expect, it was just a whole bunch of dead bugs in the water," Lillibridge told WMTW-TV. ...........(more)
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/06/09/York-County-Maine-beaches-feet-stained-black-mystery-substance-dead-bugs/4591623266259/