[3] The genus is distinguished from other groups in the tribe Ipini by the flat, oval shape of the clubs at the tips of the antennae and by details of the concavity in the elytra and of the male genitalia.

[6] Ips galleries are clear and open, unlike those of some other bark beetles, which are filled with wood dust and frass.

[6] After pupation, the new adult beetle disperses from its birthplace and can fly several miles to locate an appropriate host tree in which to breed.

[6] Some species overwinter in aggregations inside the galleries, while others seek shelter in the outer bark layers or the leaf litter.

[7] I. typographus is described as "an essential component of every spruce forest ecosystem" as it digs through dead and dying wood tissue, helping to initiate the process of decomposition.

[12] In an abundance of dead and dying trees, after windthrow events, for instance, the beetles take advantage of plentiful food and shelter resources and their populations increase drastically.

The first sign of an Ips infestation in a tree may be the discoloration of the needles that occurs when fungi block the xylem and prevent water transport to the foliage.

[6] Several species of blue stain fungus can be vectored by the beetles, including those of the genera Ophiostoma and Ceratocystis.

[12] Other signs of Ips infestation include particles of wood dust accumulating on the bark, foliage, and nearby objects as a result of the beetles' tunneling activity.

The wood dust can mix with resin that bleeds from the injury site, creating whitish or reddish pitch tubes,[6] but these are more common in Dendroctonus infestations.

The beetles are attracted to freshly cut wood, so logs and slash are chipped, dried, or removed from vulnerable areas.