should i use pesticides

my plants are about 3 1/2 feet tall, and i just recently noticed that the fan leaves were being eaten by some type of but that leaves some type of fluid that looks like saliva inbetween the nodes.

would it be ok to just leave the plant if the bugs are only eating the leaves, or would it be best to dose the plant with pesticide

the sex of the plant is almost visible, if that helps time-frame wise

that sounds like a spittle bug, easy fix, just pull the spit out and find the little green bug in the middle and toss him somewhere, or kill him. then you will have no problem. did it look like this? http://arnica.csustan.edu/jacklin/Henry_Coe_1/Images/dscn0788.jpg

yeah except it was in the nodes, but i thinkj therewere a few, do they eat the leaves? cuz a few of the leaves were eaten

just use sevindust or copper sulfate if you have a pest problem if you want to stay organic use diatomaceous earth goodluck

just wash it off really good with water.water should get rid of any bugs...just wash'em off!