This Valentine’s Day, give a gift that says more than words ever could.

Name a Bug

This Valentine’s Day, forget the flowers and buy a bug. Tell that special someone just how you feel when you donate $15 to name a bug in their honor. We’ll then feed their bug to an animal at the Minnesota Zoo.

Just think — Wallace the worm, Rachel the roach, or Chris the cricket could soon become part of a balanced diet for Zoo animals like birds, skunks, sugar gliders, opossums, turtles, monkeys, and more.

Each donation includes:

  • An email (with a custom message from you!) sent to your recipient on Valentine’s Day informing them that you’ve named a bug in their honor

  • A donation that supports animals at the Minnesota Zoo

Recipients will be notified via email that a bug has been named in their honor on Valentine's Day. To ensure your recipient receives this email on Valentine's Day, purchase your bug by 4 p.m. on February 14. Recipients will be notified the week of February 16 for any bugs purchased after 4 p.m. on February 14.

The Foundation reserves the right to remove offensive or hateful messages from the email sent to recipients.

Part of a Balanced Diet …

  • Mealworms

    Animals at the Minnesota Zoo eat 700,000 mealworms each year! That’s a lot of bugs!

  • Crickets

    Crickets are a great source of protein and fat, and their exoskeleton functions a lot like fiber.

  • Earthworms

    Earthworms are a popular, low-calorie snack for Zoo animals that’s packed with protein.

  • Dubia Roaches

    The Zoo breeds its own dubia roaches to feed animals like our sugar gliders!

… But More Than a Meal

  • Pollination

    Bugs (and insects) like bees, butterflies, beetles, and flies help pollinate plants.

  • Pest Control

    Predatory beetles, wasps, and flies keep garden and farm pests under control.

  • Soil Health

    Worms improve soil health by creating tunnels that increase air and water flow.

  • Economic Impact

    Humans rely on bug (and insect) products like honey and silk in our products and businesses.

Fill Their Bellies With Bugs!

Donation Thermometer
67 Bugs Donated
1,000 Bugs Donated

More to Explore

  • Animal Sponsorships

    Surprise your loved ones with a gift that helps animals at the Zoo and in the wild.

    Donor Resources

  • Grrreeting Cards

    Send an e-card with a special message from a Minnesota Zoo animal and help save wildlife.

    Learn More

  • Impact Stories

    Read about the incredible work being done at the Zoo thanks to donor support.

    Learn More