What is the shiny sticky stuff on my leaves, and awning and car?
Trees will normally transpire during hot summer days, sometimes dripping sap as they try to cool off. This sometimes leaves a residue on surfaces beneath the tree. Excess amounts of sap can occur when aphids or other insects with sucking/piercing mouthparts are at work on your tree. These insects will draw sap out of the tree and pass excess sap through their bodies leaving anything below covered in stick sap. This sap often draws other insects, including wasps and bees who are eager for an easy meal. In addition, molds can grow on this sugary substrate making awnings and cars not only sticky but discolored and hard to clean.
