I have grown many hardy Hibiscus over the years here in Z6 NJ & not seen anything as viscious as this. Something made a beeline for what would ahve been the beautiful dark leaves of H. "Kopper King" & has totally defoliated both of them since the picture was taken. Now all the other varities (Luna - nearly all defoliated), Southern Belle, Disco Belle, Lord Baltimore, Sweet Caroline, etc) are under attack! I have looked during the daytime and at night with a flashlight & haven't seen any insect or catapillar on them. Help! Could this be damage from the Hibiscus Sawfly? Should I use Bayer Advanced Multi-Insect Killer? Will the plants recover?

I don't know if there is any connection, but about a month ago ago there were hundreds of little black oval bodied insects with an orange stripe, along with the usual aphids ALL OVER a nearby rose of sharon. I put ladybugs there & now all seems well, even the sooty mold from the aphids is gone. I don't know what those black insects were, as I've never seen them before. They seem to have disappeared... Any ideas?

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