The Importance of Globe Mallow Bees and the Little Bachelor Bees That Sleep in Their Flowers
Posted by JOHN DAVIS
The Importance of Globe Mallow Bees and the Little Bachelor Bees That Sleep in Their Flowers
If you pause near a blooming globemallow plant early in the morning or toward evening, you may notice something easy to miss: a small native bee resting quietly inside a flower. He isn’t stuck or hiding — he’s sleeping. These are male globe mallow bees (Diadasia diminuta), often called “bachelor bees,” and globemallow flowers provide something essential to their survival.
Globe mallow bees are specialist pollinators. They rely almost entirely on globemallow plants (Sphaeralcea species) for pollen. This close relationship means the bees cannot easily switch to other flowers if globemallow disappears. When these plants are removed from the landscape, the bees lose their primary food source — and their populations decline quickly.
The Role of the Little Bachelor Bees
Male globe mallow bees do not build nests and have no permanent shelter. At night, during cool temperatures, or in windy conditions, they rest inside open globemallow flowers. The cup-shaped blooms provide protection from predators and the elements, while keeping the bees close to food when they wake.
These males are essential. Without them surviving long enough to mate, there can be no next generation of bees. Protecting flowers that serve as both food and shelter is a simple but critical way to support their life cycle.
Why Planting Globemallow Matters
Planting globemallow — especially native species like Munro’s globemallow — directly supports globe mallow bees. Each plant provides pollen for females, nectar for males, and safe resting places inside the flowers themselves. Even small plantings can become important refuges for these bees.
Globemallow is also well suited to water-wise and native landscapes. It thrives in full sun, prefers well-drained soil, and requires little water once established. By planting globemallow, you’re adding a resilient native plant to your garden while supporting a pollinator that truly depends on it.
Sometimes helping pollinators isn’t complicated. It can begin with planting the flower they’ve relied on for generations — and giving a small bee a safe place to sleep.