Recognizing the value pollinators provide to humans and our ecosystem, Penguin Court, a Preserve of the Brandywine Conservancy, and the Westmoreland Pollinator Partners, a consortium of over two dozen gardens in Westmoreland County, were pleased to host the third annual Pennsylvania Pollinator Photo Challenge in 2023.
Images had to include a pollinator found and photographed in Pennsylvania, such as bees, beetles, butterflies, flies, hummingbirds, moths, or wasps. New this year, an additional contest category was dedicated to monarch butterflies in all their life stages. With categories for both adults and youth, nearly 250 submissions were received this year.
Winners from the 2023 photo challenge can be found below!
Winners — Adult Category
First Place:
Phyllis Terchanik (Johnstown, PA)
Second Place:
Eric Johnston (Chadds Ford, PA)
Third Place:
Michael Drazdzinski (Pittsburgh, PA)
*NEW* Monarch Category — First Place:
Pamela Curtin (Latrobe, PA)
Winners — Youth Category
First Place:
Mekenzie Millward (Seven Valleys, PA)
Second Place:
Michael Schildkamp (South Park, PA)
Third Place:
Joshua M. (Murrysville, PA)
*NEW* Monarch Category — First Place:
Mekenzie Millward (Seven Valleys, PA)
Judging Criteria
All photos will be judged based on the contest theme: Pennsylvania Pollinators and will include Relevancy, Originality, Impact, and Photo Quality. Each criterion has a maximum score of 25 points. The maximum score for any photo is 100 points. The three photos receiving the highest scores in each category—Adult and Youth—will place, while the photograph with the highest score in the Monarch class will place.
- Relevancy (25 points): Rank the photo’s relevancy to the contest theme
- Originality (25 points): Rank the photo’s originality and creativity
- Impact (25 points): Rank the photo’s emotional impact
- Photo Quality (25 points): Rank the photo’s quality for clarity, focus and technical details
Prizes
Adults
- 1st Place = $50 cash; free admission for up to 4 people to Longwood Gardens and a discount on membership (Value $100); and 9 native plants in 4-inch pots from Penguin Court (Value $54)
- 2nd Place = $30 cash; free admission for up to 4 people to Longwood Gardens and a discount on membership (Value $100); and 6 native plants in 4-inch pots from Penguin Court (Value $36)
- 3rd Place = $20 cash; free admission for up to 4 people to Longwood Gardens and a discount on membership (Value $100); and 3 native plants in 4-inch pots from Penguin Court (Value $18)
Youth
- 1st Place = Nature’s Best Hope Young Readers’ Edition (Value $9), $30 Dairy Queen gift card and 7 native plants in 3.25-inch pots from Penguin Court (Value $42)
- 2nd Place = Nature’s Best Hope Young Readers’ Edition (Value $9), $20 Dairy Queen gift card and 3 native plants in 3.25-inch pots from Penguin Court (Value $18)
- 3rd Place = Nature’s Best Hope Young Readers’ Edition (Value $9), $10 Dairy Queen gift card and 1 native plant in 3.25-inch pot from Penguin Court (Value $6)
Monarch Class
- 1st Place (Adult) = Monarch eclosure print by Sneaky Burrito (Value $20) and 3 native plants in 3.25-inch pots from Penguin Court (Value $18)
- 1st Place (Youth) = Monarch pupation print by Sneaky Burrito (Value $20) and 3 native plants in 3.25-inch pots from Penguin Court (Value $18)