This was either a ground hog or deer. We have a groundhog...I see him frequently, and we call him Moe. He usually is no problem, since I do not do much in the back where it is shady. He eats clover and dandylions etc.
He must have gotten my ajuga, because that is really gone.

Whatever-whoever ate them...it got only at the top part with the seeds. And I suspect deer, because
that is what they do. (we live in a dense city..so we don't expect deer, but I have seen them come up along the creek in the past).

The bite pattern was also more like deer. Deer do not have top teeth, they
pull the stem off and leave a little tail on one side.
Rodents have incisors on both upper and lower jaw and bite cleanly as a rule.

Our street is all torn up for the city's project of replacing sewer/water mains.
It is now only sand. We found 2 sets of deer tracks last weekend in the sand.
So I think a deer is responsible. (she got some things across the street as well, and they were all tall plants too-- it is wild across the street but I have
invasive wild things planted there for fun/interest).

I am really bummed ...as I like the way the Mertensia (Virginia Bluebells) reseed and increase.