What are squid 'egg mops' and what to do if you find one?

The public is being asked to help out their neighbourhood squid by transporting their eggs back into the water.

With squid mating season in full swing, those visiting Scotland’s beaches might come across squid “egg mops” which have been brought ashore by the tides.

These consist of sausage-shaped jelly egg masses all glued together to what resembles an umbilical cord to form a large, mop-like structure reaching up to three feet.

'Squid mops' consist of sausage-shaped jelly egg masses — ‘Squid mops’ consist of sausage-shaped jelly egg masses St Cyrus National Nature Reserve

Staff at St Cyrus National Nature Reserve have taken to social media to encourage those who come across “egg mops” to put them in the water.

“Please do let us know if you find a mop, we are always interested, and pop them gently into the deepest rock pool you can find,” reads the nature reserve’s post on Facebook.

Squid before hatching St Cyrus National Nature Reserve

“Look closely and you will see the little jiggly jelly baby squid dancing inside, and if you are lucky, you may even see them being born!”

Squid school together in shallow waters to perform their mating rituals.

Unlike the octopus, many squid species only live a year, and once the mating and laying of eggs is complete, the adults die.

“They are fascinating creatures that use jet propulsion (with water) to move, can change colour to suit their environment and mood, squirt ink (sepia) into the water so predators cannot see them, allowing them to zoom away,” writes Therese Alampo from St Cyrus National Nature Reserve in the recent post.

“Fascinating creatures!”