The queens emerge from hibernation in late March or early April, and workers are produced in early May. The males emerge in early July. The flight period extends to September or early October. (Peeters, Raemakers & Smit, 1999)
A proportion of individuals are melanic.
Parasites: The arthropod Locustacarus buchneri (Acaridae; Podapolipidae) is reported as internal parasite of B. veteranus, occurring in tracheae and air sacs.