About Us
Hi, and welcome to the That Bites! project!
We built this site with a goal of making vector-borne disease information easier to find and understand for everyone. As scientists, we understand that technical jargon and loads of data can be overwhelming...especially when you just want to know how to keep you and your loved ones safe. So, our focus is on providing practical guidance you can, hopefully, actually use in your day to day life.
What we aim to solve
Most people end up bouncing between random pages when they are worried about a bite, sighting, or risk in general. We built one reliable place that brings together clear, UK-relevant information and links to sources you can trust.
Who this project is for:
- People who found a tick on themselves, their child, or their pet
- Walkers, runners, gardeners, and outdoor workers
- Pet owners, farmers, and anyone wanting a quick reference
- Anyone curious about vectors, disease ecology, and prevention in the UK
What you can do on this site:
- Check local tick records and weather context by postcode
- Explore species and disease pages written in plain English
- Learn practical bite prevention and safe tick removal
- Find trusted external resources and current UK-relevant updates
- Join citizen science efforts that improve surveillance data
How we handle information:
We prioritise UK public health and scientific sources first, then add other credible references where helpful. We review and refresh pages as guidance and evidence change, so the site stays useful over time.
Important limitations:
This website is for educational purposes only. It cannot diagnose disease, provide emergency care, or replace medical or veterinary advice. If you feel unwell after a bite, or your pet seems unwell, please contact a GP, NHS service, or vet promptly.
Help improve this project!
Spotted a broken link? Found something unclear? Know a source we should include? Have an idea? Tell us! This project gets better when people like you give feedback.
Contact Us
Want to get in touch directly? We'd love to hear from you!
- Email: thatbitesproject@gmail.com
About the Creator
Hi! My name is Merline (Mer) Feero, and I'm an infectious disease ecology researcher focused on the links between emerging infectious disease risk and changing environments. I hold a BA in Biology from Bowdoin College and an MSc in the Control of Infectious Diseases from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
I'm currently completing a PhD in Public Health (Mathematical Epidemiology) at the University of Warwick's Institute for Global Pandemic Planning. My doctoral research focuses on dengue emergence and transmission risk in southern Africa. My work combines field entomology, laboratory studies, and mechanistic transmission modelling to improve our understanding of how risk is distributed and how it can be better interpreted for preparedness.
My research interests include emerging infectious diseases, outbreak prevention, preparedness policy, and science communication for non-specialist audiences. I'm especially interested in turning technical evidence into practical public knowledge people can actually use. The That Bites! project is a passion project of that mission, developed under my role as a Planetary Health Alliance ambassador.
Learn more: Merline Feero - Planetary Health Alliance, LinkedIn.