Fungus? Eggs? Strange appearances on grass.

[Spriddler]

For a couple of weeks these creamy/white deposits have been appearing overnight in a colourless sticky fluid.
I thought the first one was cat sick so didn't look too closely but it has now appeared on the stalks of a Hollyhock plant. Close up they look like eggs about 1mm long but during maybe 10 - 14 days the mass just turns black and fades away with no damage to the grass. Nothing seems to hatch from it. The nights have been unusually mild/warm these past couple of weeks. I'm baffled.
I'll set up my wildlife trail camera this evening so hopefully will get some film of the critter but it's probably so small or slow-moving (a slug?) it won't trigger the PIR detector.

After around 10 days the deposits start to turn black and fade away........

 

[GirlyVanGirly]

Mealy bugs?

 

[daveandsan]

I think it’s called slime mould.

 

[CWH]

DBK

 

[Phill D]

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[Spriddler]

DBK

Nah, couldn't have been him, he's only just come back from France.

 

[DBK]

I think it’s called slime mould.

I agree and the tapioca one as just mentioned.

 

[Ingwe]

I agree and the tapioca one as just mentioned.

As if tapioca didn’t have a bad enough reputation. Now it’s compared with slime mould

 

[pampam]

Slime mould …………just the names enough

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

Sorry the cat's been sick in your garden again.

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[Greasy Chap Butty]

Cuckoo spit??? Don't know its proper name.

 

[GirlyVanGirly]

I read online that it was also called dog sick slime!

 

[Spriddler]

Mealy bugs?

It did seem likely to be mealy bugs when I read on the RHS website that over time after hatching they take on a sooty appearance. However, under a magnifying glass the 'bugs' don't seem to have legs or appear to have made any effort to move all morning, but on the other hand I suppose they could be teenage ones.

On balance though I'm settling for slime mould.

Thanks all.

 

[Zoobec]

It looks like expanding foam

 

[Ingwe]

I read online that it was also called dog sick slime!

Just getting better and better for tapioca!

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