They differ from the related coreids in lacking well-developed scent glands.

Some are very similar to the orsilline lygaeids, but can be distinguished by the numerous veins in the membrane of the hemelytra.

They live principally on weeds, but a few (including the boxelder bug) are arboreal.

[2] The oldest fossil rhopalids described are from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, discovered from the Haifanggou Formation.

[3] They are not considered economically important with a few species being pests of ornamental trees.