This review formalizes the acquired scientific evidence regarding the legacy of Antonio Berlese (1863–1927), defining him as a precursor to modern acarology and sustainable pest management. The objective is to refresh how Berlese’s methodological innovations—ranging from standardized sampling to functional ecological classification—represent the foundational architecture of contemporary scientific research. By analyzing his multidisciplinary approach, this study underscores the inherent modernity of his vision, which transcends traditional 19th-century descriptive zoology. The analysis synthesizes Berlese’s extensive scientific production, pointing out for instance the technical evolution of the Berlese-Tullgren funnels to characterize the mesofauna and the systemic structure of his landmark work, Gli Insetti. The review focuses on his editorial impact through journals like Redia and his pioneering development of experimental protocols for agricultural zoology. Furthermore, the study evaluates his methodology in structuring large-scale biological datasets, where he categorized 463 genera into specific ecological classes based on their feeding guilds. The review confirms that Berlese’s contributions are not merely historical milestones but are actively operational in modern science. His apparatus for extraction remains the gold standard for reproducible biodiversity monitoring, a «timeless» functional setup that predates modern soil ecology standards. In Acarology, Berlese is recognized as the architect of modern systematics; his rigorous morphological standards and taxonomic keys for mites provided the precise dataset generation required for current phylogenetic and ecological modeling. His modernity is most evident in his pursuit of sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides, where he applied a functional understanding of insect biology to solve practical agricultural problems. Berlese’s ability to taxonomically structure and organize hundreds of organisms into functional guilds—including 182 genera of predators, 152 saprophages (detritivore/fungivore), 15 plant feeders, and 114 ectoparasites or phoretic species—demonstrates a holistic «Big Data» approach to biodiversity that remains highly relevant for current ecosystem service assessments. Antonio Berlese was a visionary whose rigorous taxonomic work and functional research setups created the indispensable tools used by today’s scientists. This review concludes that his legacy is a testament to the enduring power of a scientific process that integrates taxonomy with functional impact. His work remains a primary reference in modern zoological and ecological bibliographies, proving that his deep understanding of nature and capacity for practical innovation have a relevance that extends well into the 21st century.