Is this a proliferation? I just noticed it today on Strutter's Ball. It is on the very end of a new scape. My first experience with a proliferation was on a different daylily last year and I think that it appeared on a scape that already had bloomed and it was not at the tip, as this one is. I think that that last year's also looked different, but perhaps I only noticed last year's after it had matured somewhat. I harvest last year's, had it in water until there were a few roots, potted it up, and drove it 1200 miles to FL so that I could winter it over in more suitable weather than zone 5b. In the Spring I planted it and it has flourished, but no scapes this year.

It looks like a scape with flower buds surrounded by bracts to me

If you haven't watered that part of the garden in a while, I might put a bucket of water on that plant to make sure it has all it needs to put up a normal scape. I know it's supposed to rain tomorrow, but where I live, all those hit and miss showers have been missing me all summer long.

Tim, yes it could be raining 2 miles from my house and not a drop here. I got soaked while biking last weekend, coming home through Bolingbrook, but not a drop in my yard. I have been keeping my daylilies well watered but I appreciate the advise and will be sure that one stays hydrated.

Sue, more than anything, I think it looks like some weird kind of insect with it's mouth open (in the 2nd photo)!