Sorting Pans. Immature and small species of spiders often hide in leaf litter beneath trees, or in similar debris. A shallow, plastic sorting pan, at least 8 by 12 inches, is excellent for obtaining these animal. When quantities of such debris are sorted, small spiders can be seen running on the white surface of the pan. These may be picked up by forceps or, more readily, by a small water-color paintbrush freshly dipped in alcohol.