Japanese armour and minibeasts - section C
A flowering twig from a pink, weeping Cherry (Prunus pendula), picked in 1912. Along with the Chrysanthemum, the Cherry is seen as a national flower of Japan. People visit parks and gardens for flower viewing at cherry blossom time. Read more here.
It is one of the large tropical centipede species from the genus Scolopendra. Scolopendras are venomous predators (with neurotoxic poison) hunting for insects, amphibian, lizards, and even small birds and mammals including bats. See here and here for more information.
Bronze centipede model with articulated legs. Japan, 19th century.
Manchester Museum.
European Mole Cricket (Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa), native to Europe, northern Africa and western Asia. Both adults and larvae tunnel in the soil and feed on plant roots, and as such it can be even considered a pest in private kitchen gardens. In the UK, the species is endangered (close to extinction) due to habitat loss. Read more here.
A selection of swallowtail Butterflies (family Papilionidae) from the collection of the Manchester Museum.
This is a picture of Japanese Chrysanthemums from a 19th century gardening magazine. There are many different varieties grown in gardens, and competitive chrysanthemum growing is a hobby in both the UK and Japan. The chrysanthemum symbolises the Emperor and is used as the Imperial Seal of Japan. See here and here for more information.
A handguard (tsuba) for a Japanese sword (katana), almost circular in shape, carved as a peony flower with curling petals, upon which are a butterfly, a hornet and a beetle in coloured metals. Signed Seiunsai. Handguard protects the hand of the sword owner from sliding into the blade and from an attack by an enemy, also helps to balance the sword. Japan, 19th century. See video about trsuba here, and read more here.
Manchester Museum, 0.9151/755
Greater Banded Hornet (Vespa tropica), native to South-East Asia, Oceania and West Africa, where it is associated with lowland forests. Read more here.