Berlese funnel. A Berlese funnel is a good tool to collect small insects from leaf litter (e.g., spring tails, mites, centipedes, millipedes, symphylans), plant debris or old logs. A Barleys funnel consists off a funnel with a coarse screen on the inside and a dish of alcohol below to catch the insects as they move out of the plant material. The plant material can be allowed to dry or force dried using a light bulb or other heat source to drive the insects out. Simple Barleys funnels can be home-made using plastic soda bottles by cutting off the bottom and inserting a piece of screen.