Prof Christian W. W. Pirk



Department
Zoology and Entomology
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Research Profiles

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Fields of interest include behavioural, chemical and molecular ecology of insects, as well as population genetics and dynamics - The reproductive division of labour in social insects, especially honeybees and the resulting potential conflicts among members of an insect colony and how these conflicts are solved. - The organisation of groups, mechanisms of coordination and task allocation and the role and means of communication in achieving coherent collective behaviour. - The self-organisation and their underlying mechanisms in social insects. - Interactions and co-evolution between host and parasites, e.g. between honeybee and small hive beetle.

I lead the Social Insects Research Group, which studies fundamental and applied aspects of sociality in ants, bees, termites and wasps, with a particular focus on honeybees.

My Journal Articles

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Publication
Abdullahi Yusuf, Christian Pirk , Anja Buttstedt. (2024) Expression of honey bee (Apis mellifera) sterol homeostasis genes in food jelly producing glands of workers. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A Ecological and Integrative Physiology 10.1002/jez.2813
Azrag AGA, Pirk CWW, Yusuf AA, Pinard F, Niassy S, Mosomtai G, Babin R. (2018) Prediction of insect pest distribution as influenced by elevation: Combining field observations and temperature-dependent development models for the coffee stink bug, Antestiopsis thunbergii (Gmelin). PLOS ONE 13:e0199569. 10.1371/journal.pone.0199569
Yusuf AA, Crewe RM, Pirk CWW. (2013) An effective method for maintaining the African termite-raiding ant Pachycondyla analis in the laboratory. AFRICAN ENTOMOLOGY 21:132. 10.4001/003.021.0126
Yusuf AA, Christian W. W. Pirk , Crewe R, Njagi P, Gordon I, Torto B. (2010) Nestmate Recognition and the Role of Cuticular Hydrocarbons in the African Termite Raiding Ant Pachycondyla analis. Journal of Chemical Ecology 36:441-448. 10.1007/s10886-010-9774-6
Pirk CWW, Neumann P, Hepburn HR. (2007) Nestmate recognition for eggs in the honeybee ( Apis mellifera L.). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 61:1685-1693.
Pirk CWW, Neumann P, Hepburn R. (2007) Nestmate recognition for eggs in the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.). BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY 61:1685. 10.1007/s00265-007-0399-x
Katzerke A, Neumann P, Pirk CWW, Bliss P, Moritz RFA. (2006) Seasonal nestmate recognition in the ant Formica exsecta . Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 61:143-150.
Neumann P, Pirk CWW, Hepburn HR, Elzen PJ, Baxter JR. (2001) Laboratory rearing of small hive beetle, Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). Journal of Apicultural Research 40:111-112.
Pirk CWW, Neumann P, Moritz RFA, Pamilo P. (2001) Intranest relatedness and nestmate recognition in the meadow ant Formica pratensis (R.). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 49:366-374.
Elzen PJ, Baxter JR, Neumann P, Solbirg AJ, Pirk CWW, Hoffman W, Hepburn HR. (2000) Observations on the small hive beetle in South Africa. American Bee Journal 140:304-304.