Hi Julie,

The insect you found is a pupa of a caterpillar, but it is hard to say which one and it is very possible that the leaf rolling is unrelated. It is more likely that your plants are reacting to recent high heat and intense sun well beyond expectations for this early in the season when leaves are still delicate and new. It is a protective reaction that reduces the drying presence across the leaf by (slightly) shielding and shading it. Hibiscus appreciate the sun but the light and heat they are getting may be too much for them during a very hot, sunny stretch of weather.

The very large cut outs in your leaves are probably the work of larger insects. Beetles (especially Japanese beetles which are active now), caterpillars, slugs and snails cause this sort of damage. The Japanese beetles should be easy to observe as they are active during the day and apt to arrive in numbers. And there is evidence of caterpillars. Slugs and snails work at night.

Adult Japanese beetles produce a pheromone trail to your plants in their droppings so remove them as quickly as possible if you see them. It is not unreasonable to prune and dispose of heavily infested plant parts to discourage newcomers from finding their way to your plants. Hand pick the beetles and discard them in a pail of soapy water. They release easily when startled and may even fall off the plant into a bucket of water in an attempt to escape you. You can do the same with caterpillars.

Keep in mind that many birds such as cardinals, catbirds and grackles are the natural enemies of both insects so support birds in your garden. Avoid the use of pheromone-emitting Japanese beetle traps. As satisfying as it is to remove a trap full of beetles, the attractant in the trap may be luring more beetles to your garden.

All the best,

Leslie