How to Capture Mites for Specimen & Examination

Use a pair of scissors to cut 1 inch off the bottom of a one-gallon plastic jug.

Remove the lid of an empty one-pint mason jar and place the jar on a stable surface. Hold the plastic jug upside down and stick the mouth of the jug into the mouth of the mason jar.

Place a 10-inch stick against the jug handle. The bottom end of the stick should touch the outside of the bottom of the mason jar. Use masking tape or duct tape to attach the stick to the jug handle.

Cut a sheet of 1/4-inch mesh hardware cloth or aluminum window screen into a 6-inch square. Bend the corners of the hardware cloth or window screen down and place it inside the open bottom of the jug.

Cover the hardware cloth or window screen with a thin layer of humus or leaf litter, which is where mites usually live.

Lift the jug off the mason jar, carefully keeping the jug upside down so as not to dislodge the humus or leaf litter. Fill the mason jar with 1/2-inch of rubbing alcohol and place the jug back on the mason jar.

Use a length of masking tape or duct tape to attach the bottom of the stick to the bottom of the mason jar. This makes the Berlese funnel more stable.

Set the Berlese funnel in a quiet area. Place a table lamp by the trap, setting the lightbulb about 4 inches above the funnel.

Check the trap every day. As the lamp dries the humus or leaf litter, the mites will eventually fall into the mason jar and die. The alcohol preserves the mites so they can be kept as specimens for examination.