They seem to munch things, out of curiosity and just sampling. I lost a Camellia bud in a like manner. Little pests. They set your plant back, but it will recover. The trouble is their one sampling can undo days, weeks or months of growth, or change the desired symmetry of a particular specimen.

I have a terrible time with squirrels and chipmunks. What they don't eat they dig up. They really do a number on my fig trees. They just wait until the figs are ripe then take a few bites out of each one, grrrrr!!!!!!! Someone suggested tying CD's on the plants that are under attack. It was late in the year by the time I heard about this so I don't know if it was working or the fruit was almost gone anyway. I'm going to try it early this season and hope for the best.