Any entomologists out there?

Horlock

Can anyone tell me what type of bug I just found in the middle of my "Washed and ready to eat" Salad from Asda half way through my evening meal?

Photo attached.

Also any idea what I should do about the offending creature - who appears to have eaten some of my salad but possibly died as a result of being vacuum packed? Should I complain? Who to? What should I expect? More than a refund and replace for being unsatisfied?



higher quality image here

Just adding the new photos here - make it easier for someone to recognise?

Elsewhere

Looks like a shield bug, but I have no idea which sort. They are vegetarians, I think. Couldn't find it by googling - maybe you have discovered a new variety!

firefox1956

Probably died of the chlorine solution that the salads are washed in......
HTH

Valli

looks like a shield bug.

So, to whom you complain depends on what you want.

If you are the 'horrified because you could have eaten it, or worse still a child' type tell Environmental Health though, tbh, I doubt they will be overly concerned; it happens fairly frequently. But you will have lost out financially.

If you want a 'straight' refund/replace go back to store.

If you would like a bit more by way of compo (probably a fiver just so you're warned) write to their head office. An email, with photographs and an expression of your disappointment at what you are sure must be an isolated incident but was, nevertheless, both disappointing and worrying might net you a gift voucher.

London50

When {and it was a long time ago} I was a child my school friends and myself ate far worse things than that from digging up carrots ect from allotments and it never did us any harm. I know things have changed over the years but half the illnesses the younger generation seems to come down with perhaps if it went back to food with a bit of dirt and the odd bug or two the NHS/Doctors would not have half the people on the doorstep.

Fosterdog

It does look like a shield bug (although I've not seen that pattern before). There are loads of them around and I've found 5-6 in my house over the last few weeks so there could be a chance that it got into your salad after the packet was opened. They can fly and jump really well so can easily get places you wouldn't expect. One found in my house was dead on top of the soil in a plant pot, another walking along the headboard of my bed, one on the bathroom windowsill and one on the kitchen windowsill.

Horlock

Thanks everyone. Pretty convinced it was in the salad - as otherwise it would have had to fly jump whatever onto the salad and just die there in the time it took to sit down.

It does look shield bug like. I'll write to asda and see if anything comes of it. I've just attach a couple more pics above, a lot closer up this time - it was a bit of fun I suppose as it got me to get my camera out.

The packaging doesn't state the origin of the salad. So I guess it could be a well travelled shield bug or whatever it is.

ThumbRemote

London50 wrote: »

When {and it was a long time ago} I was a child my school friends and myself ate far worse things than that from digging up carrots ect from allotments and it never did us any harm. I know things have changed over the years but half the illnesses the younger generation seems to come down with perhaps if it went back to food with a bit of dirt and the odd bug or two the NHS/Doctors would not have half the people on the doorstep.

Then again life expectancy has gone up by around 10 years over the last half-century, and continues to rise. So maybe it did more harm than you think.

Valli

it's definitely a shield bug

http://www.britishbugs.org.uk/gallery/heteroptera/Pentatomoidea/pentatomoidea.html

bod1467

Last on right of Eurydema ornata Ornate Shieldbug (to save anyone else scouring through all the photos).

jrtfan

Very pretty! (I love bugs!)

I'm sorry it spoiled your salad for you though, OP. Hope Asda will compensate you in some way.