Help!! What's eaten my peony buds

[PicklingGherkins]

Just that really, 3 out of 4 buds have been eaten right into the middle and I've waited so patiently since I bought them (two years ago). I'm gutted. Anyone have any idea what the culprit is (leaves are perfectly in tact and I've not seen a slug in weeks).

Advice or sympathy all welcome.

Thanks

No idea sorry but I've just been out to look at mine and the buds are covered in ants. I really hope they don't damage them. I planted it about 5 years ago and most years I have only had 1 or 2 flowers. This year I have about 10 buds so was getting a bit excited.

Thank you anyway, I did read that ants like peonies but don't damage them so I hope yours stay intact.

No idea what it could be - the ants don’t harm the peonies, and wouldnt manage a huge chomp - and in my slugfest garden the peonies are always untouched. I can only think of a hungry mouse or bird or bee but really curious. Have never had this and have grown peonies for many years.

I've got ants on my pink peony but not my red one - happens every year and they leave it alone once it blossoms.

I did have something weird happen with my red peony a couple of years ago - I was in the front room and I could see a flower head shaking. When I looked closer, a bee was very determinedly pulling apart each petal, into strips, from the edge to the centre. Within half an hour the whole flower head was in long thin strips all over the floor. Someone said it could be a leaf cutter bee, but they just cut a small semi circle of leaf - this one must have just been a hooligan.

I've attached a picture for reference