Incrediball hydrangeas are a selection of our North American Hydrangea arborescens. As this plant is native to much of the country, not surprisingly, it has certain relationships with insects, and that’s what you are seeing here – the work of the hydrangea leaftier. That’s leaf tie-r, as in one who ties, not leaf “tier”, like a tier in a cake. This native moth lays an egg in the emerging foliage of Hydrangea arborescens and when it hatches, a tiny caterpillar emerges. It quickly sets out to tie the leaves together to make a safe, protected home for itself while it gets to work eating the even more tender emerging new growth of the plant. The best way to manage them is to simply break open the tie and either squish the little caterpillar inside, or leave it open and let the birds or a predatory insect take care of it. Hydrangea leaftiers are not terribly harmful to the plant’s health, but a large infestation can definitely hamper blooming, so it’s a good idea to go ahead and break them open and let nature take its course. Read more about this interesting native insect (we hesitate to call it a pest, per se) here.