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A medium-size (3.5-3.9 cm wingspan) grey-brown moth. Forewings grey-brown peppered with darker scales. Transverse lines somewhat obscured, doubled, erratic and filled with lighter brown, and with the postmedian line toothed distally at the veins. The area beyond the postmedian line is lighter and the terminal area is dark, with brown fringe. The round orbicular and the reniform are prominent, dark rimmed and filled with contrasting paler scales and dark brown centers. The hind wings are smoky brown, paler toward the base, with a small discal spot and white fringe with a light brown base. Similar to E. pleuritica, but with darker more evenly colored grey-brown wings lacking contrasting paler coppery areas. The male saccular extensions are much shorter in pestula than in pleuritica. Also very similar to some forms of tessellata. Tessellata males have thin cylindrical tips on the saccular extension, while those of pestula are flattened and blade-like.

Great Plains, from western Manitoba west to the foothills, north to the Northwest Territories and south to central Colorado. In Alberta it has been collected from the southern edge of the boreal forest to the Milk River, and west to Nordegg and Kananaskis country.