What is on new grape growth?

I’m sorry that I don’t have pics. I’ll just have to describe this as well as I can. The grapevines have recently unfurled their first new growth of the year. Yesterday I noticed clear little gel like balls along the “stems” for the new leaves and bud clusters. The balls were less than 1 mm diameter, firmer than frog eggs but not hard, not uniformly sized. Would these be some sort of egg, or exudate, or what? I can’t say I’ve never had this on grapes before, but I’ve never noticed on them previously. In any case, I wiped them off with my fingers and went back today wipe off any that missed yesterday. I’ve been fortunate that I haven’t had any pests or diseases both our grapes in the past. Well, except for the occasional Japanese beetle that I’d just squish with my fingers.

I appreciate any information you may have.

They’re called Pearl Glands or something like that. It is thought to be an evolutionary adaptation to attract pests that discourage or prey on pests that might harm the plant. The attracted insects feed on the “balls”. I think the “balls” are protein rich which I guess would tend to attract predatory insects.
You’re good…no worries.

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Thank you, Jeff. You answered that quickly.

Is this what pearl glands look like? It’s all over the growth on my grapes, and I was also worried that I was infested with something.

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Yes.