Perillo et al 2020 - Bee, wasp and ant from Cordilheira do Espinhaco, a Brazilian mountain (2013 - 2016)

We rely on a unique dataset of Aculeata sampled in 12 mountains, covering 1200 km from south to north (nine degrees of latitude) and an elevational range from 1000 m up to 2000 m. In each locality (n=12 mountains) we selected two sample sites at different elevations, always in campo rupestre ecosystem, to test the elevation effect: one at the mountain base (Lower site: 1100 m) and another one near the mountain summit (Upper site: ranging from 1300 to 2000 m). We installed five trap sets 200 m apart from each other at each elevation mountain site, totalling 120 trap sets. Each set was composed by one malaise trap (to capture flying Acuelata; exposed in the field for 14 hours), four Moericke traps (yellow pan traps to capture pollinators; 48 hours each), and four pitfall traps (to capture ground Aculeata; 48 hours each) totalling 17,280 malaise trap hours, 23,040 Moericke, and 23,040 pitfall trap hours within the 120 trap sets. Each locality was sampled once, during the rainy season (November to February between 2013 and 2016).