A leaf litter sieve is a piece of equipment used by entomologists, in particular by coleopterists (beetle collectors) (Cooter 1991, page 7) as an aid to finding invertebrates in leaf litter.
A typical leaf litter sieve consists of a gauze with holes of approximately 5 to 10 mm width.
The entomologist places handfuls of leaf litter into the sieve, which is placed above a white sheet or tray.
The sieve is shaken, and insects are separated from the leaf litter and fall out for inspection.
Charles Valentine Riley details use of a simple sieve with a cloth bag.