Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

There has been a lot of conversation about this problem this year, and it is most likely the result of aphids. There are a few other insects that can cause similar problems, but you are right, those trees are not likely to be squirting liquid. We don't know if the very extreme heat and drought has caused this, with the opportunistic insects attacking weakened trees, or if the insects are having an extremely good year. Ordinarily, when there is disease actually present in the trees themselves, you will see exudations from the bark, or signs of rot around the base, or leaves and branches dying.

There are several insects that can create the honeydew, that is, excretions from the insects that can cause this sticky rain. The honeydew, in turn, can be infected with a sooty mold, which is not particularly dangerous to the plant, but is unsightly and, if it gets too plentiful, can actually shade the leaves from needed sunlight. In this area, the most likely candidates for mess-making bugs are aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs and soft scale. We found a website that pretty well covers it all in terms of what can be done about these problems from the University of California Integrated Pest Management on Sooty Mold. Generally, the solutions are pretty low-tech: (1) ignore it, the leaves will be off the trees soon anyway, (2) give it a good spray of water and (3) try a good spray of soapy water. 

We'd like to say there was a permanent cure, but there isn't. They will all be back next year. Just hope we start getting enough rain to wash the little monsters off the trees without our having to use our precious water rations.