Publications

May 2018

Reproductive parasitism by worker honey bees suppressed by queens through regulation of worker mandibular secretions

Mumoki, Fiona N., Pirk, Christian W. W., Yusuf, Abdullahi A., Crewe, Robin M.

Scientific Reports

Social cohesion in social insect colonies can be achieved through the use of chemical signals whose production is caste-specific...

Mar 2018

Compounds extracted from heads of African stingless bees (Hypotrigona species) as a prospective taxonomic tool

Ndungu, N. N., Kiatoko, N., Masiga, D. K., Raina, S. K. et al.

Chemoecology

Stingless bees are important pollinators of plants, and also producers of honey. Species within the African stingless bee genus...

Feb 2018

Resolving taxonomic ambiguity and cryptic speciation of Hypotrigona species through morphometrics and DNA barcoding

Ndungu, Nelly N., Nkoba, Kiatoko, Sole, Catherine L., Pirk, Christian W. W. et al.

Journal of Apicultural Research

Stingless bees are important pollinators of cultivated and wild plants, contributing significantly to biodiversity and food...

Apr 2018

Low fertility, fecundity and numbers of mated female offspring explain the lower reproductive success of the parasitic mite Varroa destructor in African honeybees

Nganso, Beatrice T., Fombong, Ayuka T., Yusuf, Abdullahi A., Pirk, Christian W. W. et al.

Parasitology

Although Varroa destructor is the most serious ecto-parasite to the honeybee, Apis mellifera L., some honeybee populations such...

May 2018

Digestibility and nutritional value of fresh and stored pollen for honey bees (Apis mellifera scutellata)

Nicolson, Susan W., Da Silva Das Neves, Susana, Human, Hannelie, Pirk, Christian W. W.

Journal of Insect Physiology

Pollen, the main protein source for honey bees, is mixed with regurgitated nectar or honey during collection and then stored as...

Feb 2018

Host plant forensics and olfactory-based detection in Afro-tropical mosquito disease vectors

Nyasembe, Vincent O., Tchouassi, David P., Pirk, Christian W. W., Sole, Catherine L. et al.

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

Author summary Plants play an important role in the fitness of mosquito disease vectors, yet the identity of plant species that...

Apr 2018

Honeybee Evolution: Royal Jelly Proteins Help Queen Larvae to Stay on Top

Pirk, Christian W. W.

Current Biology

A new study shows that, in honey bees, the main role of certain proteins in royal jelly is to ensure that the larva stays in its...

2018

Plasticity in the mandibular gland signals of honey bees

Pirk, Christian Walter Werner, Crewe, Robin M., Yusuf, Abdullahi A.

XVIIIth International Congress of IUSSI

Jan 2018

Turning workers into false queens: the role of exogenous pheromones in regulating reproduction in worker honey bees

Yusuf, Abdullahi A., Crewe, Robin M., Pirk, Christian W. W.

The Journal of Experimental Biology

One of the responses that honey bee workers can make in the event of queen loss is to develop into false queens. False queens are...