Bad news for swimmers in north Queensland - it seems there's no escaping stingers this summer.
A University of Southern Queensland study has found stinger nets don't keep out tiny Irukandji jellyfish, which have a nasty nip that causes severe pain and even death.
Researchers found 60 per cent of Irukandji stings occurred inside netted areas.
They are able to pass through the mesh because they are only about the size of a fingernail.
Associate Professor Lynda Crowley-Cyr, who has spent the past three years studying the risks of jellyfish, says more needs to be done to warn swimmers of the Irukandji threat.
"The current nets in place have proven successful for keeping swimmers safe from larger jellyfish. However, they do little to protect swimmers from the near-invisible Irukandji threat," she said.
"There is very little warning for bathers about the risk of getting stung inside the enclosures."
Dr Crowley-Cyr says signs at popular swimming spots should include a warning to bathers that nets won't keep them safe from Irukandji jellyfish.
The research will be presented at a seminar in Toowoomba on Wednesday.
Irukandji jellyfish are found in the tropical waters off north Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Their sting can cause severe muscular pain, anxious behaviour, headaches and vomiting.
Queensland Health says the sting from some species can cause very high blood pressure or affect the heart, potentially resulting in death.
