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A medium-size underwing moth (6.3-6.8 cm wingspan). The forewings are grey-brown with the narrow dark jagged antemedian and postmedian lines and the reniform spot prominent and contrasting. The terminal line is marked by a series of short thin black bars between the veins. The hindwings are salmon-orange or pink-orange like those of the Mother Underwing. They are crossed by a sharply defined black median band and a wide black terminal band. The hindwing fringe is white and pale orange. The adults are alike, and both sexes have simple antennae. Very similar in size and markings to Catocala hermia, and some specimens may be very difficult to separate with confidence. Hermia usually have greyer forewings, and the hingwings of hermia are bright deep pink, not orange. C. meskei are larger, darker and have darker red-orange hindwings.

Adults are nocturnal and come to light, but like all underwing moths they are best collected using sugar baits. The adults emerge in late summer and early fall, and the eggs overwinter. Larvae are solitary defoliators. There is a single brood each year.

A mainly western species, found east to Minnesota and Illinois and northward into extreme southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. It occurs widely across the Great Plains, south to New Mexico, Arizona and California. In Alberta, it has been found only in treed areas of the extreme southern portion of the grasslands region, north to Taber and Medicine Hat. They have been collected most often in riparian cottonwood stands along the southern river valleys.