Is this a sign of spider mites or just small leaf variegation?
Or something completely different?
Seems very limited at this point. A few leaves on the whole plant.
Plant is located outdoors on a second story deck. GSC Auto
I don’t see any crawlers on the tops of the leaves. Check the bottoms of them leaves for tiny spiders.
I dont think it is spider mites- they feed on the underside of the leaves and hug the main vein and work along the bottom near the veins. You may see “webbing” there that protects them and their eggs.
Some magnification (even 5x or 10x will I.D. the pest). The damage is on the top, on the leaf surface, so I dont think so…
Best way to find them, but when u see webs, the infestation is in full swing. May want to spray preemptively. Captain Jacks DeadBug is popular
@Lacewing is our bug expert atm. He can give u much better insight then me
I see nothing under the leaves and no spider webbing… So maybe she’s okay. 
Have u tried wiping the spots with a damp clean cloth to see if they wipe away. U could have spilled something on ur leaves while watering. If u find webbing from spider mites it’s probably to late. Webbing is a full blown metropolis going on, homes, n hotels, r already built, accessible by the major highways, I mean webbing. It takes vigilance, n patients usually with multiple applications, just to bring there numbers down to get something manageable. Good luck I really hope it ain’t something alive.
Your good I don’t see anything that even indicates spider mites …could be humming bird crap lolol …I also grow on a second story deck bro …I’ve seen it all …they look fine and you seem very proactive …just keep your eyes on it just like you are
Thank you for the tag and kind words
Hey u earned it! Probably have forgotten more about critters then ill ever bother to learn.
Lolol…I just have a lot of insects near me and needed to know who’s good and bad …and I like if can help others in any way …thank you !!!
Well poop, I figured out what this is!
It’s wood filler splatter from a carpenter bee hole in the deck railing that I filled that did not solidify. This all makes sense why it’s only on one edge of the plant.
The carpenter bees are bad this year. If i only needed to have tons of half inch holes…
Crisis averted…