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A larger crambid (25-30 mm wingspan). Forewings light tan with a somewhat striate appearance. Hindwings whitish. The male genitalia have a reduced accessory spine at the base of the harpe that shows up as a mere bump, while in ericella the accessory spine is reduced but longer. G. Balogh kindly provided an unpublished drawing of the male genitalia of P. aridella edmontella that was prepared for A. Klots by M. Friedman. Females are like those of ericella and have similar genitalia but tend to be larger. Alberta material labeled Pediasia laciniella has been found to be either ericella or aridella edmontella. Pediasia laciniella, which has an accessory spine similar to that of ericella, is an eastern species. Similar to P. trisecta but lacking dark areas in the forewings above, also lacking white dashes between the veins in the margin of the fore wings. Described as Crambus edmontellus by J. McDunnough (1923).

Pediasia aridella was described from Europe. Only the subspecies edmontella occurs in North America and it is known so far only from Alberta. In Alberta, Bowman (1951) has it from the Lethbridge, Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton and Nordegg areas.