A viral video of maggots on North Beach in Hampton, New Hampshire, has visitors thinking twice about getting in the water.
"Oh, it is so nasty," said Methuen, Massachusetts resident Kristin Ferraro.
The video showing thousands of tiny, squirming maggots on the sand was captured Sunday evening by Exeter resident Ryan Fowler.
"We looked down to where the tide was breaking on the seaweed and it was writhing with maggots, probably thousands of maggots," Fowler told NBC10 Boston on Wednesday.
He posted the video to Facebook and now it's going viral with more than 460,000 views and growing.
Most of the people who see it have the same question.
"What caused it," Windham, New Hampshire resident Ricky Bennett wanted to know.
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State officials at the Department of Environmental Services say the maggots are likely the result of flies feasting on rotting seaweed and then laying their eggs. Scientists are examining the video and the beach to determine if there is any public health risk.
"It's really disappointing because my loved ones swim in it," Fowler said.
"It is a concern, definitely," added Hampton resident Janice Moore.
Officials were first made aware of the video when NBC10 Boston sent it to them Wednesday afternoon, so they're still working to find some definitive answers about it.
