Accordingly, Bombus hyperboreus is limited to the Palaearctic, despite older literature listing this species as occurring in the Nearctic.

[1] It is a brood parasite, and attacks and enslaves other bumblebee colonies in order to reproduce as they do not even have the ability to produce workers themselves.

Petitions were needed to change the name to B. hyperboreus officially, to eliminate confusion with this other species, presently classified as Bombus polaris.

[7] Because the environment the species inhabits is cold and windy, it is suggested that their black bands act as a method to increase their body temperature through solar radiation, and their long, dense hair coat minimizes insulation loss.

The mean length of the queen is relatively large at 18.4 millimetres (0.72 in) and is presumed to allow the species to counter the strong effects of the windy and cold environment.

Near Lake Latnjajaure of northern Sweden, Bombus hyperboreus have been observed collecting pollen and nectar of Saxifraga oppositifolia and then switching to forage on Astragalus alpinus and Bartsia alpina once those come into flower.

Njulla of northern Sweden, for example, in the beginning of the summer, Rhododendron lapponicum and Salix species dominate their diet, but as the season goes on, their diet changes to consumption of Vaccinium species mid-summer and, finally, to consumption of Astragalus alpinus and Solidago virgaurea towards the beginning of August.

[8] In the early spring, mated queens emerge from the frozen ground in the tundra and seek out a growing colony of a different bee species.

[11] Bombus hyperboreus obtains a colony by killing the queen of host species and enslaving her workers.

[14] B. hyperboreus evolved traits of social parasitism because it inhabits harsh cold environments and must produce small colonies during short periods when conditions are favorable.

Alpine and Arctic habitats have short growing seasons (2 to 3 months), which pushes the species to produce more sexual individuals (queens and males) instead of workers.

The non-alpine species it competes with include Bombus pratorum, B. jonellus, B. pascuorum, B. lucorum, B. lapponicus and B. balteatus.

[8] Bumblebees play a vital role in propagation of certain flower species as well as production of crops for human consumption.

With rising temperatures and longer periods of drought, Bombus hyperboreus are experiencing loss of habitat and are declining in numbers, placing them as "Vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.