If you have ever been bitten by bed bugs, then you know how pesky and annoying they can be. Bed bugs are tiny, parasitic insects that feed on the blood of mammals, including humans. They can be found all over the world and are notorious for their ability to hitch a ride on people and luggage and sneak into your home, where they will feast on your blood, making them difficult to get rid of.
When it comes to bedbugs, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there. One question that seems to come up a lot is whether or not bedbugs can climb on metal surfaces. In this blog post, we will explore the answer to this question and provide some tips on how to get rid of bed bugs.
Although bed bugs are more likely to climb textured surfaces such as fabric or wood, they can also climb metal. This means that if you have a metal bed frame, these pests could be planning their route for how they are going to make your mattress their new home. Bed bugs have claws and an exceptional ability to grip. If there’s a crack or crevice, then bed bugs will find it and use it as a route to higher ground, such as your bed frame.
Even though they may find it hard to climb up a metal bed frame, they can rest and wait for a host once they reach their destination. Don’t belittle these tiny pests, if you don’t want to have bed bugs infestation. Act fast to eradicate them quickly as a few bed bugs can quickly escalate into a huge number.
If you have bed bugs, you will want to know if these pests are not staying in your metal frame but instead crawling into your mattress to make it their home.
Bed bugs can’t stay in metal—bed bugs like warmth. On the contrary, metal has cool nature, so bedbugs don’t want to make a metal frame their primary residence. But they could be nesting on top of the frame of your bed, right where the mattress touches it. These bloodsucking insects stay where it’s warm and dark for most of the day.
But, in the night, they will make their move towards your bed and do their job of feeding on you. Get rid of them before it’s too late.
Bedbugs are excellent ‘hitch hikers.’ They can travel on clothes, luggage, and furniture, making it very easy for them to travel from place to place. Bedbugs are most active at night when they will crawl out of their hiding places and feed on the blood of their host, which they will use as a source of energy before returning to their hideout.
It’s common that if a person comes into contact with bed bugs, they may unknowingly transport them into their homes or even the homes of their friends. Bed bugs can be found almost anywhere, and in most cases, people acquire them after staying at an infested hotel or traveling on public transportation such as the bus or train.
If you wonder if bed bugs have moved into your metal frame, mattress, or home, then there are a few signs that will let you know.
One of the easiest ways to tell if you have bed bugs is to look for bites or similar symptoms on your body. However, not everyone reacts to bed bug bites, in the same way, so you may have to look for other signs such as a bloodstain or fecal spotting on your mattress. Look for dark spots on your mattress that could be dried feces stains, which are usually near where you sleep is one of the most common signs of bed bugs infestation.
Another sign to look for is if you see bed bugs themselves. These pests are very small, usually around the size of an apple seed, and have a reddish-brown color. If they are mature, then they will be black too.
Bed bug eggs are very small and translucent milky white. If you find eggs, there is a good chance that the bed bugs have been breeding for a while and can be more difficult to get rid of.
Another common sign of bed bugs is spotting exoskeletons which are molted shells shed as they grow larger. They congregate in the nooks and crannies of your bed frame and often on or near their food source.
Exoskeletons can be brittle, so they are often found broken up, which causes them to look like pepper flakes or even bloodstains. It’s not uncommon for people to mistake exoskeletons for blood stains or bed bug feces which are small black, brown, or red spots.
If you have noticed any of these signs on your metal frame or your bed, you likely have a problem with bed bugs. Unfortunately, bed bugs are difficult to get rid of, so the sooner you can act, the better.
Now since you know that bed bugs can climb on metal, here are some tips to keep these tiny pests away. First, you mustn’t bring any second-hand furniture into your home. If you do, ensure that it has been steam cleaned before putting it into your house. You should also steam clean any second-hand fabrics you bring into the home to ensure that they do not contain bed bugs.
If there are signs of bed bugs, run your furniture or clothes through your dryer on high heat for at least twenty minutes. This will help to make sure that all bugs and eggs are killed.
Ensure that you regularly vacuum the crevices and cracks in your metal bed frame. Bed bugs can lay eggs anywhere they can find a place to rest. Vacuum cleaners with strong suction power is best for this task, and you should go over every surface with the vacuum to pick up any eggs.
Unlike metal, bed bugs cannot climb on plastic. Plastic has a smooth surface, so it is easy for bedbugs to fall from the plastic and slide down instead of gripping their claws on micro bumps on the surface. In addition, this material is not warm, and that’s another reason these tiny pests don’t like climbing on plastic frames or the legs of your bed.
