A picture would definitely help, hope you can upload it. If you can email it to your computer that's one way if you can't do it direct. There's always the danger that critters in rotting tissue are secondary, attracted by the rot, rather than the cause. Getting a look at them should help, they don't ring a bell as a typical daylily pest from the description. It would also help to know the state the plants came from if not local.
