Six Winged Brown.

Handcarved and painted, this is an invented moth. You get a Certificate of Inauthenticity with each one. (pic 3). Bark mounts will vary.

Family: Nymphalidae

Hexaptera castanea can be immediately distinguished from all other known Lepidoptera by the possession of three pairs of fully developed wings (fore, mid, and hind), all scaled and functional in flight. In dorsal view the wings are a uniform chestnut brown, subtly iridescent under sunlight. Ventral surfaces are paler, with faint ochre banding.

Description:
• Forewing length: 26-32 mm.
• Total wingspan (across all six wings): c. 52-56 mm.
• Forewings: elongate, with rounded apices.
• Midwings: shorter, inserted between fore and hind pairs, with more rounded margins; functionally contribute to hovering stability.
• Hindwings: broad and rounded, with a slight scalloping at the outer margin.
• Body: robust thorax with expanded musculature to support six wing bases; abdomen slender, tapering.

Sexual dimorphism: Females tend to be slightly larger and show a paler ventral hindwing band.

Distribution: Believed endemic to montane chestnut and oak forests of the Serrania Castanea region (alt. 1,200–2,000 m).

Habitat: Prefers shaded glades and forest margins where it can utilize complex flight to maneuver among dense vegetation.

Behavior: Flight is distinctive, combining rapid forward beating with stabilizing fanning of the midwing pair, giving an impression of “fluttering in layers.” Often rests with all six wings held flat against the substrate, creating a broad, shield-like silhouette.

Life history: Larval host plants not fully confirmed; presumed to include chestnut (Castanea spp.) and related Fagaceae. Pupation occurs in loose silken shelters among leaf litter.

Etymology: The genus name Hexaptera (from Greek hexa = six, pteron = wing) denotes the unprecedented six-winged condition. The species epithet castanea refers to both the dominant brown coloration and its putative association with chestnut trees.