To collect invertebrates in the soil
A Berlese Funnel is a passive collecting tool that is used to coax very tiny invertebrates out of moist soil. A desk lamp is used to dry the top of the soil, causing the animals to crawl downward into collecting container. This ‘catch and keep’ method takes a few days but always yields results.

BERLESE FUNNEL
(to collect pseudoscorpions, beetle larvae, earthworms, fly larvae, beetles)
Over time, animals crawl down into container where they can be collected.

Using a 2 liter bottle
Materials:
- Clean two liter plastic bottle
- Window screen cut in a 3” diameter circle
- Desk lamp with incandescent bulb
- Water or rubbing alcohol
- Moist soil (compost is great)
- Magnifying glasses to see the invertebrates
- White plastic plate or tray (to dump contents into for observation)
What to do:
- Use scissors to cut the bottle in half, across the middle
- Fill the bottom half with 1” of water or alcohol
- Invert the top half into the lower, so that it resembles a funnel. The mouth should not touch the liquid
- Put the screen circle across the opening
- Gently add soil so that it sits on top of the screen. Some soil will fall into the water
- Set the desk lamp next to the funnel and push the bulb close to the soil without touching it. Turn the lamp on and leave for at least a day or more
- When you are ready to empty, gently remove top half, set aside, and dump water from the lower half into a shallow tray for sorting and observation.
- Use a spoon to gently separate invertebrates from soil
- Sort and count them and draw your creatures

Using a jar & funnel
Materials:
- Plastic kitchen funnel with 6” wide mouth
- Window screen cut in a 3” diameter circle
- Large glass jar
- Desk lamp with incandescent bulb
- Water or rubbing alcohol
- Moist soil (compost is great)
- Magnifying glasses to see the invertebrates
- White plastic plate or tray (to dump contents into for observation)
What to do:
- Fill the jar with 1” of water or alcohol
- Rest the plastic funnel inside the jar so that the mouth is not touching the liquid.
- Place the screen circle across the small opening of the funnel
- Gently add soil so that it sits on top of the screen. Some soil will fall into the water
- Set the desk lamp next to the funnel and push the bulb close to the soil without touching it. Turn the lamp on and leave for at least a day or more
- When you are ready to empty, gently remove the funnel and soil, set aside, and dump water from the jar into a shallow tray for sorting and observation
- Sort and count them and draw your creatures