Review of 2019 and 2020 - Moths: Clothes Moths (Tineidae) (part 1: Morophaga, Nemopogon and Tineola)

CLOTHES MOTHS (TINEIDAE)


Silver-barred Clothes Moth Infurcitinea argentimaculella - None.  I've never found this species but it's reasonably widespread and there's enough lichen at the meadows that I should be in with a shout for it there.


Large Clothes Moth Morophaga choragella - 3 in my garden moth trap between 17th July and 21st August 2019, which is as many as I had caught here since I moved in in 2014 (one in 2016 and 2 in 2017).  Also one at Weybourne on 5th July but none recorded in 2020.

Large Clothes Moth Morophaga choragella, North Elmham, 17th July 2019

Large Clothes Moth Morophaga choragella, North Elmham, 21st August 2019

Large Brindled Clothes Moth Triaxomera parasitella - None.  This is one of a handful of species I used to see more at my last house than this one - only one here so far (in 2018) compared to 4 in fewer years (and without a proper moth trap) at Bawdeswell.


Corn Moth Nemapogon granella - Although never in the moth trap I have seen this species here annually since 2016 and recorded 5 in 2019/20.  In 2019 one in my bathroom on 8th April, one to Red-belted Clearwing pheremone lure on 6th June and one came into my study on 8th July.  In 2020 one netted in the garden on 15th May and one on the outside of the patio door on 1st June.

male Corn Moth Nemapogon granella, North Elmham, 8th April 2019

Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella - 5 here between 24th June and 24th July 2019, my equal best year here but bettered in 2020 when 6 between 20th May and 6th August.  Also 3 caught at the meadows and one at Hills and Holes.  I used to get more of these at Bawdeswell than I do here.

Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella, North Elmham, 24th June 2019

Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella, North Elmham, 25th June 2020

male Cork Moth Nemapogon cloacella, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th September 2020 (I'm not sure the aedeagus is to scale with the rest of the genitalia)

White-speckled Clothes Moth Nemapogon koenigi - One at the meadows on 15th June 2019 and one at home on 23rd August, then in 2020 an impressive total of 6 in the garden between 19th May and 6th August (the first to Yellow-legged Clearwing pheremone lure, the second netted and the rest in the moth trap).  This species is nearly annual in the garden though I missed catching one here 2016.  It was also regular at Bawdeswell where I recorded the second for Norfolk back in 2011 - the species seems to have only become common in the last decade.

White-speckled Clothes Moth Nemapogon koenigi, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th June 2019

male White-speckled Clothes Moth Nemapogon koenigi, North Elmham, 12th June 2020 (I'm not sure the aedeagus is to scale with the rest of the genitalia

Gold-sheen Clothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella - Attracted to the Yellow-legged Clearwing pheremone lure in my garden on 1st and 23rd June 2019 but none in 2020.  This species seems to have a strong attraction to these pheremones with at least 2 of my previous records being found the same way.  On the second occasion this year I had taken the bung with the pheremone lure on it out of its packet to put in its trap, leaving the empty packet on the dining room table.  I went outside, put the trap up, came back in and found that the moth had come in through the patio doors and crawled inside the empty packet, presumably having sniffed out the traces of chemical left on the packet.

Gold-sheen Clothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella, North Elmham, 1st June 2019

Barred White Clothes Moth Nemapogon clematella - None in 2019 but one in my garden moth trap on 29th July 2020.  I've recorded 1-2 in 4 of the 6 years I've been trapping at North Elmham but this is another species that I found more often at my old house in Bawdeswell (16 in 5 years without a proper moth trap).


Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella - One of the few Clothes Moths that really deserve to be called Clothes Moths, though it isn't as common as it apparently once was.  Having said that it seems to be having something of a comeback - at least it is in my house!  Since my first here in 2016 I recorded 2 in 2017, 4 in 2018 and 3 in 2019 (23rd April, 21st June and 18th September, all indoors).  Then in 2020 they suddenly reached proper infestation levels, with a monstrous 230 found in the house between 14th March and 22nd December, peaking with 24 on 2nd August.  Relatively few instances of holes found in clothes and I suspect most are eating the edges of the carpets.  Each one found has been destroyed as we don't particularly want all of our soft-furnishings destroyed, but with a few already recorded in 2021 I fear we will be fighting a losing battle!

Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella, North Elmham, 23rd April 2019

male Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella, North Elmham, 5th June 2020 - a darker browner individual than usual leading me to hope it would prove to be something more interesting (sadly not)

Common Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella, North Elmham, 8th September 2020

Next page: more Tineidae

Hornet Moth

I put the Hornet pheromone lure out on 30th June and caught 2 Hornet Moths and a new hoverfly for me, Eupeodes luniger.

Hornet Moth, North Elmham, 30th June

Eupeodes luniger, North Elmham, 30th June

Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Least Carpet, Dot Moth, Double Lobed, the caddisfly Leptocerus tineiformis and the beetle Lagria hirta were all new for the year that night.

Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, North Elmham, 30th June

Least Carpet, North Elmham, 30th June

Dot Moth, North Elmham, 30th June

Double Lobed, North Elmham, 30th June

Leptocerus tineiformis, North Elmham, 30th June

Lagria hirta, North Elmham, 30th June

Other highlights included another Wood Groundling Parachronistis albiceps, hot on the heels of my first here three nights earlier, and another Gold-sheen Clothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella.

Gold-sheen Cothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella, North Elmham, 30th June

Other moths were Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Tipped Oak Case-bearer Coleophora flavipennella, Common Yellow Conch Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, 3 Large Ivy Tortrixes Lozotaenia forsterana, Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, 2 Flax Tortrixes Cnephasia asseclana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, 3 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 12 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Inlaid Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 2 Satin Grass-veneers Crambus perlella, 2 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Lesser Pearl Sitochroa verticalis, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, 2 Mother of Pearls Pleuroptya ruralis, 2 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, 3 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, 2 White Plumes Pterophorus pentadactyla, Ghost Moth, Small Emerald, 3 Small Blood-veins, Lesser Cream Wave, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, Dwarf Cream Wave, 7 Single-dotted Waves, 4 Riband Waves, Garden Carpet, 2 Barred Straws, 2 V-Pugs, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Clouded Borders, Early Thorn, 2 Swallow-tailed Moths, 3 Mottled Beauties, Light Emerald, 9 Common Footmen, 11 Buff Ermines, 3 Short-cloaked Moths, 3 Heart and Darts, Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Double Square-spots, Smoky Wainscot, Brown Rustic, Rustic Shoulder-knot, 14 Uncertains, 6 Rustics, 3 Mottled Rustics, 4 Beautiful Hook-tips, 2 Straw Dots, Fan-foot and Small Fan-foot.

Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana, North Elmham, 30th June

Mother of Pearl Pluroptya ruralis, North Elmham, 30th June

Gold-sheen Clothes Moths and another insectella

My first Gold-sheen Clothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella for the garden came to a pheronomore lure for Yellow-legged Clothes Moth last year.  My second came to the same pheromone lure this year, on 25th June.  Probably it was no coincidence that my third came to my Robinson trap overnight that very same night.  I can only guess that it was attracted to the garden by the pheromone lure, didn't go in the trap so was still in the garden when the light trap switched on and got caught by that instead.  This is still a rarely-recorded species in Norfolk with just 6 post-Victorian records prior to these but half of those were mine (all from different locations) and I can't help thinking that this species is being overlooked because they don't come to light traps very often.

Gold-sheen Clothes Moths Nemapogon ruricolella (males, gen det), North Elmham, 25th June

Four new moths for the year in the trap that night were Drab Clothes Moth Haplotinea insectella, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Rosy Footman and Short-cloaked Moth.  The clothes moth seems to be on the increase in Norfolk - I had the first post-Victorian record at Warham Greens in 2014 followed by two more here at home in 2015.  There were three more records elsewhere in the county in 2016-17, but this is still a good record for the time being.

Drab Clothes Moths Haplotinea insectella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 25th June

Rosy Footman, North Elmham, 25th June

Short-cloaked Moth, North Elmham, 25th June

Other moths were 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 4 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Triangle-marked Roller Ancylis achatana, Triple-blotched Bell Notocelia trimaculana, 3 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Bee Moths Aphomia sociella, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, Small Blood-vein, Single-dotted Wave, 3 Barred Straws, Willow Beauty, 2 Privet Hawk-moths, Common Footman, 10 Buff Ermines, 2 Heart and Clubs, 6 Heart and Darts, Flame, Flame Shoulder, Double Square-spot, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, Smoky Wainscot, 2 Common Wainscots, 3 Brown Rustics, Treble Lines, 6 Uncertains, Mottled Rustic, 2 Straw Dots and Snout. Also the caddisfly Hydropsyche pellucidula and a Common Frog.

Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, North Elmham, 25th June

The following night saw another wave of new moths for the year, viz. 3 Plain Conches Phtheochroa inopiana, Rose Tortrix Archips rosana, Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, Bramble Shoot Notocelia uddmanniana, Satin Grass-veneer Crambus perlella, Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella, Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, Buff Arches, Yellow Shell, Haworth's Pug, 2 Wormwood Pugs, Scarce Footman and Rustic.

Plain Conch Phtheochroa inopiana, North Elmham, 26th June

Rose Tortrix Archips rosana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 26th June

Holly Tortrix Rhopobota naevana, North Elmham, 26th June

Bramble Shoot Notocelia uddmanniana, North Elmham, 26th June

Satin Grass-veneer Crambus perlella, North Elmham, 26th June

Pearl Grass-veneer Catoptria pinella, North Elmham, 26th June

Meadow Grey Scoparia pyralella, North Elmham, 26th June

Brown Powdered Knot-horn Delplanqueia inscriptella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 26th June

Beautiful Plume Ambvlyptilia acanthadactyla, North Elmham, 26th June

Buff Arches, North Elmham, 26th June

Yellow Shell, North Elmham, 26th June

Haworth's Pug, North Elmham, 26th June

Rustic, North Elmham, 26th June

With the others the species total hit 94, not bad but some way to go to the peak counts possible at this time of year.  The others were 2 Diamond-backs Plutella xylostella, 2 Brown House Moths Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Buff Mompha Mompha ochraceella, 2 Common Yellow Conches Agapeta hamana, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis cerasana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana, Privet Tortrix Clepsis consimilana, Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana, Yellow Oak Button Aleimma loeflingiana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 3 Triangle-marked Rollers Ancylis achatana, 4 Common Cloaked Shoots Gypsonoma dealbana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 21 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, Inlaid Grass-veneer Crambus pascuella, Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella, 7 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, 3 Little Greys Eudonia lacustrata, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, Small Grey Eudonia mercurella, 8 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Fenland Pearl Anania perlucidalis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 2 Ghost Moths, 6 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 2 Single-dotted Waves, 21 Riband Waves, 2 Silver-ground Carpets, Garden Carpet, 8 Barred Straws, 2 Common Marbled Carpets, 2 Barred Yellows, 3 Sandy Carpets, Common Pug, 3 Grey Pugs, V-Pug, 6 Double-striped Pugs, 2 Small Yellow Waves, 3 Clouded Borders, 4 Brimstone Moths, Willow Beauty, 4 Mottled Beauties, 4 Common White Waves, Common Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Eyed Hawk-moth, Rosy Footman, 5 Common Footmen, 5 Buff Ermines, 3 Cinnabars, 2 Short-cloaked Moths, Turnip Moth, Heart and Club, 2 Heart and Darts, Flame, 2 Flame Shoulders, Ingrailed Clay, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 4 Double Square-spots, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 4 Smoky Wainscots, 4 Common Wainscots, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Brown Rustic, 2 Dark Arches, Tawny Marbled Minor, 4 Uncertains, 3 Mottled Rustics, Burnished Brass, Beautiful Hook-tip, 3 Straw Dots, 6 Snouts and 6 Fan-foots.

Other insects included the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg., the caddisfly Limnephilus sparsus and an Orange Ladybird.

Cacao and Corn Moths

After a good night's mothing at Holt Country Park I returned home to find a reasonable selection of moths in the garden trap.  There were no real stand-out highlights but new for the garden year list were Pine Cosmet Batrachedra pinicolella, Burdock Conch Aethes rubigana, Water Veneer Acentria ephemerella, Double-striped Tabby Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Yellow Shell, 2 Scalloped Oaks, Pine Hawk-moth and Purple Clay.

Scalloped Oak, North Elmham, 1st July

Purple Clay, North Elmham, 1st July

This Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana was arguably better than any of those, judged by the number of county records, but it seems to be getting commoner with quite a few records in very recent years.  That's certainly my experience with my first ever last year and now three so far this year.  I need to improve my detection of them though as I passed off both of the last two (at least) as Acleris laterana/comariana agg. until I looked at their genitalia.  Some schalleriana can look quite distinctively broad-shouldered to my eyes (recalling sparsana to me) but this one didn't.  Nor were the dark triangles on the costa particularly extensive (they didn't reach the apex as they're supposed to on schalleriana for starters).  Apparently schalleriana has rougher scales along the leading edge of the forewing - I'm not sure about that - I think I could possibly make out this feature when I looked under the microscope but will need to look for this critically on future insects to test it.

Viburnum Button Acleris schalleriana (male, gen det), North Elmham, 1st July

The other moths were 2 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Hawthorn Ermel Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Little Dwarf Elachista canapennella, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, Buff Cosmet Mompha ochraceella, 3 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 2 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 2 Privet Tortrixes Clepsis consimilana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Flax Tortrix Cnephasia asseclana, Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, 4 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 6 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, 17 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 3 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, 5 Common Greys Scoparia ambigualis, Small Magpie Anania hortulata, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, Rosy Tabby Endotricha flammealis, Bee Moth Aphomia sociella, 2 White Plumes Pterophorus pentadactyla, Ghost Moth, Drinker, Buff Arches, Large Emerald, Small Emerald, 2 Small Blood-veins, 7 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Dwarf Cream Waves, 9 Single-dotted Waves, 4 Treble Brown Spots, 2 Riband Waves, Common Carpet, 4 Barred Straws, Green Pug, Double-striped Pug, 3 Clouded Borders, 3 Early Thorns, Swallow-tailed Moth, 3 Willow Beauties, 14 Clouded Silvers, 3 Elephant Hawk-moths, Buff-tip, 5 Rosy Footmen, 2 Dingy Footmen, 22 Common Footmen, Cinnabar, 4 Flames, 2 Flame Shoulders, 4 Double Square-spots, 2 Bright-line Brown-eyes, 2 Clays, 7 Smoky Wainscots, Small Angle Shades, 2 Dark Arches, 37 Uncertains, Rustic, 3 Mottled Rustics, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips, 2 Straw Dots, 6 Snouts, 6 Fan-foots and 2 Small Fan-foots.

Beetles were represented by Summer Chafer (new for the year) and Brown Chafer.

The following day I put the Yellow-legged Clearwing lure out again, hoping for another Orange-tailed that comes to the same lure rather than more Yellow-legged.  I didn't get either, but it did attract an entirely different moth - and a good one at that - a Gold-sheen Clothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella.  If you read my account of the previous night's event at Holt you'll know we had one there too, only the night before.  Two in two nights at different locations is rather good given there had only been four records in Norfolk since 1874 - and the last of those in 2013 was me too, at my old house.

Gold-sheen Clothes Moth Nemapogon ruricolella (male, gen det), North Elmham, 2nd July

A very mediocre catch in the light trap that night produced just one addition to the garden year list, Chequered Straw Evergestis pallidata.  Other moths caught were 3 Bird-cherry Ermines Yponomeuta evonymella, Cinereous Groundling Bryotropha terrella, Gorse Crest Brachmia blandella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Archips podana, 2 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana, 2 Barred Marbles Celypha striana, 5 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, 2 Marbled Orchard Tortrixes Hedya nubiferana, 6 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, Pearl Veneer Agriphila straminella, Common Grey Scoparia ambigualis, 2 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, 2 Elder Pearls Anania coronata, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, 4 Rosy Tabbies Endotricha flammealis, Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla, Small Blood-vein, 3 Small Fan-footed Waves, 3 Dwarf Cream Waves, 15 Single-dotted Waves, 4 Riband Waves, 2 Barred Straws, Wormwood Pug, 3 Clouded Borders, Lilac Beauty, 2 Early Thorns, Scalloped Oak, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Elephant Hawk-moth, Pale Prominent, 2 Buff-tips, 2 Rosy Footmen, 4 Dingy Footmen, 26 Common Footmen, 8 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Flame, Double Square-spot, Bright-line Brown-eye, 2 Clays, 13 Smoky Wainscots, Dark Arches, 28 Uncertains, 4 Mottled Rustics and Burnished Brass.

The following afternoon and evening I discovered four moths which entered my study through the open window, two of them very interesting.  At least one of them arrived during the afternoon well before dark, my third Corn Moth Nemapogon granella and my second this year - these three being the only records in the county since 2013. Larvae of this species feed indoors on stored grain or other vegetable products and the first of mine was a mystery being found during a cold spell in February last year suggesting it might have hatched indoors.  But I didn't have any stored grain or anything where I could imagine it was likely to have emerged from so I speculated that I might have accidentally transported it home from a recent visit to a farm shop specialising in bird food.  With two subsequent records this year perhaps a more local origin is a better explanation.  There used to be a bakery next door to me - it closed down and was converted to houses several years ago (before I moved in) but I wonder if there may have been a population there that now still survives in the area outside (they can breed outside on fungus, apparently).  It will be interesting to see if records continue.

Corn Moth Nemapogon granella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd July

The other three moths in the study were found after dark: Small Dingy Tubic Borkhausenia fuscescens, Brown House Moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella and another really good one: Cacao Moth Ephestia elutella.  The Cacao Moth was a lifer and like the Corn Moth is a species that feeds indoors on stored vegetable products, in this case mainly nuts and especially cocoa and tobacco, however it is sometimes recorded outside.  There are only six previous county records, so a very pleasing addition to the garden list.  Identification requires examination of the genitalia to be certain but I had a very strong suspicion that this one would prove to be elutella - compared to the much commoner Falso Cacao Moth Ephestia unicolorella it looked smaller, greyer and smoother - all quite subtle though and I certainly wouldn't have identified it confidently from these photos...

Cacao Moth Ephestia elutella (female, gen det), North Elmham, 3rd July

Moths I caught that night using the more traditional light trap included my first Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana of the year.

Summer Rose Bell Notocelia roborana, North Elmham, 3rd July

Others were Clover Case-bearer Coleophora alcyonipennella, 2 Hook-marked Straw Moths Agapeta hamana, 3 Large Fruit-tree Tortrixes Archips podana, 3 Grey Tortrixes Cnephasia stephensiana, 9 Common Marbles Celypha lacunana, Pine Marble Piniphila bifasciana, Hoary Bell Eucosma cana, Two-coloured Bell Eucosma obumbratana, 5 Garden Grass-veneers Chrysoteuchia culmella, 2 Grass-veneers Crambus pascuella, 4 Small Magpies Anania hortulata, Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis, White Plume Pterophorus pentadactyla, 2 Common Plumes Emmelina monodactyla, Small Emerald, 2 Small Fan-footed Waves, 2 Dwarf Cream Waves, 10 Single-dotted Waves, Treble Brown Spot, 3 Riband Waves, 2 Large Twin-spot Carpets, Shaded Broad-bar, 2 Barred Straws, Currant Pug, 3 Clouded Borders, Brimstone Moth, 6 Early Thorns, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, Common White Wave, 2 Clouded Silvers, Elephant Hawk-moth, Coxcomb Prominent, 2 Buff-tips, 2 Dingy Footmen, 20 Common Footmen, 7 Buff Ermines, Cinnabar, Short-cloaked Moth, 2 Large Yellow Underwings, 5 Double Square-spots, Bright-line Brown-eye, Brown-line Bright Eye, 11 Smoky Wainscots, Dark Arches, 36 Uncertains, Rustic, 2 Mottled Rustics, 2 Beautiful Hook-tips, Snout and Fan-foot.

I'm pretty sure I've seen these at home before but the beetle Lagria hirta was the first I've actually identified here.  There was also a Brown Chafer.

Lagria hirta, North Elmham, 3rd July

The only caddisfly was a Leptocerus tineiformis.

I recently acquired the new spiders book (Britain's Spiders by Bee, Oxford & Smith) and put it to the test for the first time on 4th July when I found this spider in my house.  Turns out it's one of two species that can't be identified on externally visible features but if I understand it correctly the fact that it was inside my house pretty much rules out one of them leaving Amaurobius similis as the ID without recourse to dissection (which I wouldn't want to do with a spider - I find them horrible enough to look at without a microscope and am certainly not ready to start handling them).

Amaurobius similis, North Elmham, 4th July