One of the least often observed yet most distinctive small North American Catocala as an adult, with plain light grayish forewings, and yellow hindwings lacking the characteristic medial black band (only members of the amica complex present comparable hindwings). The larva of messalina is also distinctive, and nothing like the larvae of the amica complex, but with dorsal and ventral pattern similar to the Amorpha-feeding abbreviatella and whitneyi. No wild larvae of messalina have been reported yet, but it is a Quercus feeder (based on rearing experiments with hatchlings from the two females from which viable eggs have been secured so far, see images below).