A standardized survey of bees visiting blooming plants in an area covered by natural grasslands in the Vila Velha State Park was conducted from October, 2002, to October, 2003. A total of 1552 specimens belonging to 181 species were collected. These species are distributed in 58 genera, 24 tribes and 5 subfamilies. The visited plants belong to 113 species, in 72 genera and 38 families. Megachile, with 20 species, was the richest genus, while Ceratina was the most abundant native genus. Apis mellifera was the most abundant species, with 28% of all bees collected. Among the native species, Bombus atratus was the most abundant. Monthly richness and equitability varied along the year, March being the richest, and November, the most equitable. Despite being traditionally placed within the southern steppes, the open grasslands of Vila Velha contain numerous species previously only known from the cerrados of central Brazil. Also, when compared to other areas with open vegetation in Brazil, the bee fauna of Vila Velha stands out for having the subfamilies Apinae and Halictinae with equal number of species. Lists of bee species and of their host plants are appended.
Apoidea; natural grasslands; Neotropical; savanna; survey
