Only bugs I've seen (and I **LOOK**) have been a couple of wasps, on and off, just crawling around the leaves. Can't miss 'em really; they've bright orange legs and antennae. Don't eat anything, don't leave eggs/deposits anywhere that I can see. As you say, a mystery.
Transplant shock? Absolutely a possibility, which means I'm a fumble-fingered clown, because, of the 5 sage plants I've transplanted before, 4 are still quite well (I stepped on the fifth...idiot). Too leggy, and that's my fault, too -- I thought where I put them would provide more sun than it did (mutter, grumble).
\ I won't overkind the little bugger, per your advice, and many thanks. We shall see what we shall see.
And here's a tip for you, in part payment for your kindness. The most dangerous term in gardening, for 'transplanted' norteamericanos (I'm from St. Louis county, originally) is "full sun". Oh, I know what it means...in North America. In Panama, even up here in the hills, "full sun" is an absolute death sentence for any soft-stemmed herb (dill, parsley, cilantro, &c). The only herbs that seem to tolerate/thrive in "full sun" here are the hard dry herbs, oregano and rosemary in my case.
Oregano here (vulgare hirtum) might as well be a weed; that's how well it grows. I'll have a yard full (via cuttings, not seeding) in a year or so.
Rosemary grows much more slowly (dammit) but still loves Panama's sun.
Sweet basil (and Panama basil, which has a more licorice-y flavour) -- plant the seeds and stand back. It just GROWS. Cuttings? Hah! Just cut about 3 inches down from the top of a NON-flowering stem, strip off the bottom inch, dip into root hormone, and -- again -- stand back. Out of 1, count 'em one, cutting and half a pack of Burpee seeds, I had about 80 plants make it to maturity. Been giving plants and seeds (roughly 200 per stalk, when brown and 'mature') away to literally everyone I know who wants 'em. No skill required, which is fortunate, because I haven't much!
Contrarily, lavender does NOT grow. Too humid here, I think (but that's a guess).
Best regards, and thanks again!
Very interesting. I grow a little lavendar, but even here I think it’s a bit too humid to do well. Basil is just a growth opportunity barely waiting to happen.LOL