If they were in the cocoon stage they were done eating, lol. They will emerge and fly away. Its the hungry caterpillars that do all the damage.

Slugs and snails are bad but the caterpillars are horrible. A hornworm can defoliate a brug overnight and those itty bitty green guys will eat all the growth tips, including the buds! I've seen several of those striped potato beetles visiting my brugs so I've been on the lookout for eggs. Their larvae can cause severe damage as well.

These were the hungry caterpillars, definitely active and feeding. I'm glad I got them out now rather than a few days later. Guess I'll have to keep a lookout now for more since mom may come back to visit.

Those ity bity green ones also eat inside of the calyx and eat up the whole flower from the inside out, the little buggers!!

I can't stand finding a bud that's full of frass!