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A medium-size moth (4.0-4.4 cm wingspan). Forewings grey-brown, somewhat mottled with coppery brown or paler grey patches. Basal and antemedian lines poorly defined, often doubled, postmedian line usually not doubled, obscure and shortly toothed at the veins. Orbicular spot large, circular, and it and the reniform spot each have a dark outer ring, pale inner ring and a dark center. The short claviform is usually discernable. Terminal area slightly darker than rest of wing; fringe concolorous. Hindwings pale grey or dirty white suffused with smoky brown, heaviest toward the margin, and with a small discal spot and white fringes with a brown basal line. Female hindwings with more dark suffusion than male. Very similar to E. pleuritica, but larger, darker brown on all wings, and males with shorter saccular extensions. Also very similar to E. pestula, which is smaller, darker and usually has clearer markings. Euxoa simona belongs to the subgenus Pleonectopoda, characterized by the prominent twist or subbasal coil in the vesica of the male. There are no characters that can be used to identify females as members of the subgenus. Keys to the subgenus and species are presented in Lafontaine, 1987.