A leaf litter sieve is a piece of equipment used by entomologists, in particular by coleopterists (Cooter 1991, page 7) as an aid to finding invertebrates in leaf litter.

A typical leaf litter sieve consists of a gauze

Gauze

Gauze is a thin, translucent fabric with a loose open weave.-Uses and types:Gauze was originally made of silk and was used for clothing. It is now used for many different things, including gauze sponges for medical purposes. When used as a medical dressing, gauze is generally made of cotton...

with holes of approximately 5 to 10mm width. The entomologist places handfuls of leaf-litter into the sieve, which is places about a white sheet or tray. The sieve is shaken, and insects are separated from the leaf litter and fall out for inspection.