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E. auripennis belong in the detersa group of the subgenus Euxoa. They are medium size (3.0-3.4 cm wingspan) pale grey moths with dark grey and black markings. The costa, large orbicular and reniform spots and the wide subterminal band are pale grey, while the median and terminal areas are darker grey. There is a short thick black basal dash, and the claviform spot and the area before the orbicular and between the orbicular and reniform are black. The inner margin of the dark terminal band is not streaked into the pale subterminal area as it is in E. servita, and the outer part of the pale postmedian line is usually lightly scalloped between the veins, with black scales extending into the subterminal area along the veins. The hindwings are smoky grey-brown, darker in females. Very similar to the more common E. servita. The ear-like flanges on the tip if the ovipositor lobes will separate females of auripennis from those of E. servita. Males can usually be separated by the even (not streaked) border along the inner edge of the terminal band, and the scalloped outer edge of the postmedian line. E. auripennis was described in 1974. Prior to that it was included with E. servita, which in turn was treated by Bowman (1951) as a subspecies of redimicula. All three are now treated as separate species, but only servita and auripennis are known to occur in Alberta. Consequently published records for servita from prior to 1974 may refer to servita, auripennis or both species.