@micromelling (@micromelling) header
@micromelling (@micromelling) profile picture

I like bugs and burgers. And DNA. But mainly burgers πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ”πŸ” Lecturer in Micro and Molecular Biology at Manchester Met. All views my own.

Joined April 2018
Photo by @micromelling (@micromelling)Photo by @micromelling (@micromelling)Photo by @micromelling (@micromelling)Photo by @micromelling (@micromelling)Photo by @micromelling (@micromelling)Photo by @micromelling (@micromelling)Photo by @micromelling (@micromelling)Photo by @micromelling (@micromelling)Photo by @micromelling (@micromelling)Photo by @micromelling (@micromelling)
Waiting for a refill of their Royal Robin Mix 🀣 #giddygatefarm instagram.com/p/CNnrdLJpcmbv…
A couple of blue tits loving their new bird feeder. A jackdaw and magpie free zone! #giddygatefarm instagram.com/p/CNnrI_AJVEjP…
One of today's visitors, a chaffinch loving the Royal Robin Mix #giddygatefarm instagram.com/p/CNnqcCsJeT1G…
Let’s turn good news into great news! @CadburyUK, please make #TwirlOrangeForever πŸ‘‡

Twirl Orange Returns

A Bat CATastrophe? @RobynAnneGrant & @drkirstyshaw blog about the impact of domestic #cats on #bats: buff.ly/2O1Gnab
3
1
@micromelling retweeted
There is a Bat CATastrophe going on! Find out more in our new paper in @Ecol_Evol about how we used forensic DNA analysis to find cat DNA on lots of bat wing tears: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/… @ran777no @drkirstyshaw @GaryDougill @micromelling @_BCT_
2
31
4
40
Bat box finally up. The local cats will need stilts to get up there! πŸ¦‡
1
5
@micromelling retweeted
5/5 #WBTC1 #Conserve4 Forensic 🧬 analysis can complement πŸ‘€data, potentially giving a more accurate estimation of 🐱 predation on πŸ¦‡. Thanks to #MMUBatResearch @ran777no @robynannegrant @micromelling @garydougill and all the #batrehabilitators
1
2
1
14
@micromelling retweeted
4/5 #WBTC1 #Conserve4 We then looked at 11 short tandem repeat markers in the 🐱🧬(similar to those used in crime scene investigation in humans) and were able to produce partial 🧬profiles for 1/3rd of samples. This could be used to link predation events to individual πŸˆπŸˆβ€β¬›
1
2
12
@micromelling retweeted
3/5 #WBTC1 #Conserve4 Using real-time PCR (a sensitive detection technique), we looked for the presence/absence of 🐱🧬. We found 🐱🧬 in 2/3rds of wing swab samples. There were no significance differences due to the species, age or gender of the πŸ¦‡
1
3
13
@micromelling retweeted
2/5 #WBTC1 #Conserve4 We asked #batrehabilitators in πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ to take swabs of injured wings from πŸ¦‡ in their care. The majority were Pipistrellus pipistrellus. The wings showed a variety of injuries including holes and tears – check out @robynannegrant in #EvoBeh1 from Wed for πŸ“·
1
2
10
@micromelling retweeted
1/5 #WBTC1 #Conserve4 🐱predation upon πŸ¦‡species has been reported to have significant effects on πŸ¦‡populations in both 🏞️ and πŸ™οΈ areas. Can forensic 🧬 analysis tell us β€˜whodunnit’? #BatCATastrophe @MMUEcolEnv @_BCT_ @mammal_society @wildwoodtrust
2
9
5
31
@micromelling retweeted
Congratulations to @LPat012 who successfully defended her PhD today #proudsupervisor with @micromelling @captain_ion @Alexander_Iles and Kathryn Whitehead! πŸ₯³ @MMU_NATSCI @MMUEngage @MMU_Research
1
3
1
15
@micromelling retweeted
Check out our latest paper looking at bat wing tears and flight πŸ¦‡πŸ¦‡ @micromelling @MMUEcolEnv @EcolGenLab @MMU_Research
Exciting! Our new paper on bat wing tears affecting flight is out now! @ran777no @drkirstyshaw @GaryDougill #BatCatastrophe
2
4
@micromelling retweeted
1/5 #WBTC1 #EvoBeh2 Bat wings are thin, delicate and prone to tearing. Thousands of bats with wing tears are admitted to rescue centres annually in theπŸ‡¬πŸ‡§. But how do we measure their effect on flight? And when are bats ready for release? @MMUEcolEnv @_BCT_ #BatCatastrophe
1
9
3
28
5/5 #WBTC1 #EvoBeh1 So why more tears in the plagiopatagium? We propose that cats are targeting bats bodies and their claws are tearing the wing. This is also confirmed by #batcarer observations. Sad, but great work by @ran777no @_BCT_ #BatCatastrophe πŸ¦‡πŸ±
2
6
3
20
4/5 #WBTC1 #EvoBeh1 Material testing P.pipistrellus wings showed that the plagiopatagium was not weaker than the other wing sections. Although tears here are likely to take longer to heal.
1
3
12
3/5 #WBTC1 #EvoBeh1 Unfortunately the plagiopatagium has few, large blood vessels, so is likely to be prone to bleeding and not heal quickly. Thankfully a network of fibers stops tears from ripping too much in all the wing sections
1
2
14