Get creative for Bugs In My Backyard Week this November!

Primary and secondary students across Australia are invited to create and submit original artwork featuring either Australia’s native bugs, or invasive ones!

Parents and guardians, teachers and school staff can submit student entries for a chance to win an Eggpicnic invertebrate print of their choice, valued up to $385.

To enter, students must create an original two-dimensional bug-themed artwork (drawing, painting, or collage) and include a short 1–2 sentence caption explaining what bug species they chose and why. Photographs of the artwork can then be submitted to the competition.

Entries open 2 November 2026 and close 23 November 2026. Check out the full rules below and get your students involved!

Prizes for both primary and secondary age categories includes an Eggpicnic invertebrate print of their choice, courtesy of @eggpicnic

Enter the Student Bug Art competition here!

Terms & Conditions:

  1. Organiser & purpose
    1. The organisers are the Invasive Species Council and Invertebrates Australia.
    2. The purpose of the competition is to encourage school students to explore, appreciate, and learn about Australian native invertebrates and invasive invertebrates through visual arts.
  2. Eligibility
    1. Entry is open to primary and secondary school students enrolled in Australian schools (public, private, and independent).
    2. Photographs of the artworks must be uploaded or emailed by a parent, guardian or other adult aged 18 years or over on behalf of the student.
    3. Children and immediate family members of the organisers or official judges are ineligible to win prizes.
  3. Submission requirements & categories
    1. Artwork format: Entries must be a photograph of an original two-dimensional physical artwork (drawing, painting, collage) created by the entrant without the use of AI.
    2. Caption: Every artwork must include a brief description (1–2 sentences) naming the bug species depicted and include a short 1-2 sentance caption explaining what bug species they chose and why.
    3. Submission limit: Maximum of one entry per student.
  4. Entry method
    1. Submissions must be uploaded as high-resolution JPEG images to this form, including the student’s first name, year level, school name, and teacher/parent contact email.
  5. Key dates
    1. Entries open at 12:01 AM AEDT on Monday, 2 November 2026 and close at 11:59 PM AEDT on Monday, 23 November 2026.
  6. Categories & prizes
    1. Prizes will be awarded across two age categories:
      • Primary School Category (Prep/Kindy – Year 6)
      • Secondary School Category (Years 7 – 12)
    2. Two prizes are on offer, with one winner for the primary schoool catergory and one for the secondary school catergory. Winners can select one Eggpicnic invertebrate print of their choice, courtesy of @eggpicnic, valued up to $385 from https://eggpicnic.com/shop/.
    3. Winners will be contacted by email on 30 November 2026 and announced online at https://bughunt.org.au/.
  7. Judging criteria
    1. Entries will be judged on creativity, artistic effort, and the accuracy/enthusiasm shown for the chosen invertebrate species.
    2. The decisions of the judging panel are final.
  8. Copyright & image usage
    1. Students retain copyright over their artwork.
    2. By entering, parents/guardians and schools grant the organisers a perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to publish, display, crop, and promote submitted photographs of the artwork (along with the student’s first name, year level, and school) on the website, social media, and educational materials.
    3. Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash.
  9. General Terms
    1. The organisers accept no responsibility for late, lost, or corrupted electronic submissions