B. hyperboreus has been suggested to be a social parasite in colonies of B. polaris, at least facultatively in some parts of its range (Milliron & Oliver, 1966; Løken, 1973; K. W. Richards, 1973). (Söderman & Leinonen, 2003) list B. alpinus as a host in Finland.
The suggestion that nests are established deep in the ground (Friese & Wagner, 1912) is apparently based upon observations from Novaya Zemlya (Friese, 1904). As these observations were based solely on observations of the nest entrances, there is no way of controlling whether these were associated with colonies of B. hyperboreus. Records of nesting in Greenland have been shown to be of a nest of B. polaris usurped by B. hyperboreus. Similar observations have been noted from Arctic Canada. A nest usurpation of a B. jonellus nest from Sweden has also been reported by Bergwall (1970).
The inquiline behaviour of B. hyperboreus is quite remarkable : this is the only bumblebee species, out of the Psithyrus, for which inquilinism is a well documented practice. In N-Canada, Greenland and Novaia Zemlia, B. hyperboreus appears as a workerless obligate parasite (K.W. Richards 1973, Löken 1973). In Norway and in Wrangel island, some queens of this species are able to forage and to produce some workers, even if most queens act as inquilines (Löken 1973, Berezin 1994).
In the Arctic, Lemming (Lemmus spp.) nests are frequently occupied by Bombus hyperboreus (Rasmont, 2008).