Basil, outdoor garden

Question

Small yellow spider like pest with red dot. Some spots on leaves, mostly eaten leaves from center out. Black sort of bug discharge like maybe a caterpillar, but none there. Saw nothing in the soil. There are other things growing in garden. Only basil has problem.

Answer 1

The bugs you are seeing sound like they may be spider mites. They are likely not causing the damage you are seeing but should be taken care of because it can cause other kinds of damage. Here is more information on them:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/spider-mite-detection-and-spider-mite-natural-control.htm

What is causing the damage to your basil is slugs. They come out only at night, so you would not see them to know they were the pests. Basil is among their favorite foods to eat, so they will attack that before anything else. Here is more information on how to control them:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/facts-about-slugs-and-how-to-kill-garden-slugs.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/basil/holes-in-basil-leaves.htm