Aphids or scale on tender growth
Small soft-bodied bugs clustered on the tips, plus sticky residue and curling new leaves, point to aphids or scale.
Diagnosis
Aphids or scale on tender growth
What's happening
Zebrina's soft, juicy new growth is irresistible to aphids and soft scale. They gather on the tender tips and stem joints to suck sap, which curls and distorts the newest leaves and stunts growth. As they feed they excrete sticky honeydew that coats the leaves and can turn into black sooty mold, a tell-tale sign even when the bugs themselves are hard to spot.
How to fix it
Isolate the plant, then wipe off as many bugs as you can with a damp cloth or a cotton swab. Spray the whole plant — tips, stem joints, and leaf undersides — with insecticidal soap, making direct contact with the insects, since it only works on what it touches. Repeat every 5–7 days for a few weeks to break the breeding cycle. Pinch off badly infested tips and the sticky, distorted growth, and rinse off the honeydew so sooty mold can't take hold.
What fixes it
- Insecticidal soap — Insecticidal soap kills aphids and soft scale on contact; spray every 5–7 days and coat the tender new growth thoroughly.
If that doesn't fix it
This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.
Read the full Zebrina Wandering Dude care guide →
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this