Berlese Funnels

Berlese funnels, also known as Tullgren funnels, were introduced by Italian entomologist Antonio Berlese in the late 19th century and later improved by Swedish entomologist Albert Tullgren.  They are tools for extracting organisms, particularly small soil-dwelling arthropods such as insects and mites.  These species respond negatively to desiccation from soil and litter samples.