December 2011. A mucus-like substance on mint: what is it. It occurs in various localities in Antigua and Barbuda, but no insects were seen ion the mucus.

It is common in the UK to see mucus on mint containing froghoppers (Cercopidae). Are there pale nymphs in the mucus seen in Antigua?

A summary of previous discussions can be found at: www.pestnet.org/SummariesofMessages/NonPests/Insects/TipulidlarvacraneflycoveringgelSamoa

Other than froghopper “spittle”, the only other symptom seen sometimes on fast growing herbaceous plants in the spring when we have bright sunny days and cool nights with high RH, is the exudation of sap from the plants resulting in a creamy thick “gunge” collecting at nodes. For this to happen the roots must be much more active at taking and pumping up sap than the leaves are at getting rid of it. This probably occurs when the stems are immature and have not hardenend. Normally excess water up take results in guttation at the leaf margin presumably because the stems have thickened sufficiently for them them to be “watertight”.

It was thought that the adults would be nearby – they jump actively.