The true bugs usually have four wings, the front pair being thick at the base and thin at the tips. These wings are folded flat on the back so that the tips overlap each other. A few species, such as the bed bug, are wingless.
All true bugs have piercing-sucking mouthparts, which form a noticeable beak.
Metamorphosis is gradual, the life stages being the egg, nymph, and adult. Many of the true bugs possess stink glands and give off an unpleasant odor. Most of the true bugs live on land, but many, such as the giant water bug and water striders, live in or on water. Usually, those that live on land feed on plant juices, but a few, including the bed bug, are parasites of man and other animals. Some even prey on other insects.