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 Publications
Journal Articles (13)
Muyobela J, Pirk CWW, Yusuf AA, Sole CL (2024) Phenotypic divergence of Glossina morsitans (Diptera: Glossinidae) populations in Zambia: Application of landmark-based wing geometric morphometrics to discriminate population-level variation. Ecology and Evolution. 14. doi: 10.1002/ece3.70348
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. doi: 10.1002/jez.2813
Muyobela J, Pirk CWW, Yusuf AA, Sole CL (2023) Spatial distribution of Glossina morsitans (Diptera: Glossinidae) in Zambia: A vehicle- mounted sticky trap survey and Maxent species distribution model. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 17.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011512
Muyobela J, Pirk CWW, Yusuf AA, Mbewe NJ, Sole CL (2021) A novel vehicle-mounted sticky trap; an effective sampling tool for savannah tsetse flies Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood and Glossina morsitans centralis Machado. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 15. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009620
Azrag, Abdelmutalab G. A., Pirk, Christian W. W., Yusuf, Abdullahi A., Pinard, Fabrice, Niassy, Saliou, Mosomtai, Gladys, Babin, Régis (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. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199569
Yusuf, A. A., Crewe, R. M., Pirk, C. W. W. (2013) An effective method for maintaining the African termite-raiding ant Pachycondyla analis in the laboratory. AFRICAN ENTOMOLOGY. 21. doi: 10.4001/003.021.0126
Yusuf, Abdullahi A., Christian W. W. Pirk , Crewe, Robin, Njagi, Peter, Gordon, Ian, Torto, Baldwyn (2010) Nestmate Recognition and the Role of Cuticular Hydrocarbons in the African Termite Raiding Ant Pachycondyla analis. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 36. doi: 10.1007/s10886-010-9774-6
Pirk, Christian W. W., Neumann, Peter, Hepburn, Randall (2007) Nestmate recognition for eggs in the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.). BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY. 61. doi: 10.1007/s00265-007-0399-x
Pirk, Christian W. W., Neumann, Peter, Hepburn, H. Randall (2007) Nestmate recognition for eggs in the honeybee ( Apis mellifera L.). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 61.
Katzerke, Andreas, Neumann, Peter, Pirk, Christian W. W., Bliss, Peter, Moritz, Robin F. A. (2006) Seasonal nestmate recognition in the ant Formica exsecta. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 61.
Neumann, Peter, Pirk, Christian W. W., Hepburn, H. Randall, Elzen, Patti J., Baxter, J. R. (2001) Laboratory rearing of small hive beetle, Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). Journal of Apicultural Research. 40.
Pirk, Christian W. W., Neumann, Peter, Moritz, Robin F. A., Pamilo, Pekka (2001) Intranest relatedness and nestmate recognition in the meadow ant Formica pratensis (R.). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 49.
Elzen, P. J., Baxter, J. R., Neumann, P., Solbirg, A. J., Pirk, C. W. W., Hoffman, W., Hepburn, H. R. (2000) Observations on the small hive beetle in South Africa. American Bee Journal. 140.
My Publications
Muyobela J, Pirk CWW, Yusuf AA, Sole CL. (2024) Phenotypic divergence of Glossina morsitans (Diptera: Glossinidae) populations in Zambia: Application of landmark-based wing geometric morphometrics to discriminate population-level variation. Ecology and Evolution 10.1002/ece3.70348
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
Muyobela J, Pirk CWW, Yusuf AA, Sole CL. (2023) Spatial distribution of Glossina morsitans (Diptera: Glossinidae) in Zambia: A vehicle- mounted sticky trap survey and Maxent species distribution model. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011512
Muyobela J, Pirk CWW, Yusuf AA, Mbewe NJ, Sole CL. (2021) A novel vehicle-mounted sticky trap; an effective sampling tool for savannah tsetse flies Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood and Glossina morsitans centralis Machado. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009620
Azrag, Abdelmutalab G. A., Pirk, Christian W. W., Yusuf, Abdullahi A., Pinard, Fabrice, Niassy, Saliou, Mosomtai, Gladys, Babin, Régis. (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 10.1371/journal.pone.0199569
Yusuf, A. A., Crewe, R. M., Pirk, C. W. W.. (2013) An effective method for maintaining the African termite-raiding ant Pachycondyla analis in the laboratory. AFRICAN ENTOMOLOGY 10.4001/003.021.0126
Yusuf, Abdullahi A., Christian W. W. Pirk , Crewe, Robin, Njagi, Peter, Gordon, Ian, Torto, Baldwyn. (2010) Nestmate Recognition and the Role of Cuticular Hydrocarbons in the African Termite Raiding Ant Pachycondyla analis. Journal of Chemical Ecology 10.1007/s10886-010-9774-6
Pirk, Christian W. W., Neumann, Peter, Hepburn, Randall. (2007) Nestmate recognition for eggs in the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.). BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY 10.1007/s00265-007-0399-x
Pirk, Christian W. W., Neumann, Peter, Hepburn, H. Randall. (2007) Nestmate recognition for eggs in the honeybee ( Apis mellifera L.). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
Katzerke, Andreas, Neumann, Peter, Pirk, Christian W. W., Bliss, Peter, Moritz, Robin F. A.. (2006) Seasonal nestmate recognition in the ant Formica exsecta. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
