Hexapod Haiku Challenge

Ever flip a log and watch millipedes scurry away? Or seen a bumble bee buzz a flower? Have you ever opened a bag of flour, only to discover it’s infested with tiny beetles? These moments are perfect inspirations for writing haiku!

Who can participate: Anyone in the world who draws joy from poetry, insects and their relatives, or all of the above! Submissions from all ages and backgrounds are welcome.

What: Submissions should be haiku inspired by insects (or spiders or millipedes or other related arthropods).

Haiku are brief poems that capture a moment in time and are thus written in the present tense. These brief poems generally have 10-15 syllables and three or fewer lines. They strive to celebrate the extraordinary in the ordinary, and often create meaning through a juxtaposition of two parts.

When: Submissions for 2024 will be accepted starting March 15, 2024 and through June 15, 2024 at 11:59pm EST.

How: Our submission form is now closed for the 2024 year. Stay tuned for next year!

Entry Fee: None!

Bonus: All selections will be announced and featured on the Frost Entomological Museum's website, shared in the museum's exhibit space, and the haiku laureates will be mailed a small prize.

We can't wait to read your submissions!

Have a question? Feel free to message us: frost.museum[at]psu.edu

Need help writing haiku? The website Graceguts has a great article that will help you get started. The Heron's Nest also has a wealth of wonderful haiku in its archives that you can read to become more familiar with this form of poetry.

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See below for the selected haiku from last year's Hexapod Haiku Contest....

2023 haiku laureates from the 12 & Under age category

2023 haiku laureates from the 13 - 17 age category

2023 haiku laureates from the 18 & Older age category