The species is typically bright red, brown or yellow, although some individuals with greatly expanded dark patches appear almost completely black.

The 2 marginal spots on each elytron frequently show even in the lightest marked individuals, hence the species epithet quadripunctata.

Lighter specimens with limited spots may be similar to H. axyridis, but the pronotum and elytral pattern does not overlap.

These beetles over-winter in communities under the bark of various deciduous and coniferous trees such as pines and poplars.

Rare vagrant records of this species have historically occurred in coastal eastern North America.