Berlese Funnels- a type of passive trap to collect soil borne insects
A Berlese funnel is a device that is used to collect small living organisms, especially arthropods, from samples of soil or plant material123. It works by creating a dry and light environment over the sample, which causes the organisms to move away and fall into a container with alcohol, where they die and are preserved for later examination12.
The Berlese funnel was invented by Antonio Berlese, an Italian entomologist who specialized in studying insects that live in soil1. He designed the funnel to separate insects from soil samples without damaging them1. The funnel consists of a metal or plastic cone with a screen at the bottom that holds the sample. The cone is placed over a jar or tube that contains alcohol or another preservative. A light bulb or another heat source is attached to the top of the cone to dry out the sample and force the organisms to move downwards23.
The Berlese funnel can be used for various purposes, such as studying the diversity and abundance of soil arthropods, monitoring their population changes over time, assessing their ecological roles and functions, and identifying new species23. The Berlese funnel can also be used to collect other small organisms that live in leaf litter, plant debris, old logs, compost piles, etc.3
The advantages of using a Berlese funnel are that it is simple, inexpensive, and effective. It can collect many different types of arthropods without harming them physically. It can also process large amounts of samples quickly and easily23. The disadvantages of using a Berlese funnel are that it may not collect all the organisms present in the sample, especially those that are very small or very resistant to desiccation. It may also alter some characteristics of the organisms due to heat or alcohol exposure. It may also require electricity or batteries for operating the light source23.
A Berlese funnel is an important tool for entomologists and other scientists who study soil arthropods and their habitats. It helps them discover new species, understand their ecology and evolution, and conserve their biodiversity.
We have several types of passive traps are available with us which are similar to Berlese funnels in functioning.