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This species has a prominent dark brownish-black colour that is mottled with dull yellow. It is broadly oval in shape with an elongated face; juga longer than the clypeus and touching anteriorly. This characteristic allows for easy identification from other asopine bugs, with the exception of Apatetitcus bracteatus (Fitch), which also has elongated juga; however, in the latter the juga do not meet anterior of the clypeus. The pronotum has very broad projections on both sides. The fore-femora lack the ventral tubercle present in genus Perillus Stal. Connexivum are widely exposed and are mostly dark with pale spots along the margins on each abdominal segment. It is of medium size; length 9-11 mm (Blatchley 1926).

This is one of two species of asopine stink bugs that range up into the Canadian Northwest Territories (Maw et al. 2000). With this exception, in addition to records from Alberta and Nebraska, the known distribution is mainly centralized around the Great Lakes provinces and states (Henry and Froeschner 1988; Maw et al. 2000). Asinglle specimen of this speciesi in the Strickland Museum was collected from Mercoal, Alberta.

Though not much is known regarding the American species, one other species from this genus, R. punctatus, exists in Europe. Adults of this species can be found year round feeding primarily on the larvae of the Heather Beetle, Lochmaea suturalis. The preferred habitat of R. punctatus is that of heathland and dampened areas containing sphagnum moss. It overwinters as an adult and mating begins in early spring. Larvae of the new generation reach maturity in August (Bantock and Botting 2007).