Minnesota Zoo Foundation Brings Back ‘Name a Bug’ for Valentine’s Day to Support Animal Care

Name a Bug after your love bug and help feed Zoo animals

APPLE VALLEY, MN, UNITED STATES, February 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Back by popular demand, the Minnesota Zoo Foundation’s Name a Bug campaign is back and buggier than ever! Last year, more than 1,200 people from all 50 states and 16 countries named a bug and helped feed hundreds of animals at the Minnesota Zoo. This year, we’re looking to name even more bugs and feed even more animals.

Help us reach our goal when you make a $15 donation to the Minnesota Zoo Foundation before 4 p.m. on February 14 to name your own bug. Whether named after a love bug or someone who just bugs you, all bug donations support balanced diets for Zoo animals like pygmy marmosets, panther chameleons, turtles, titi monkeys, skunks, toads, and more.

On Valentine’s Day, the Foundation will email recipients a bug-themed e-card sharing the news that a bug has been named in their honor, along with a personal note from the donor.

WHO SHOULD YOU NAME A BUG AFTER?
Everyone deserves to have a bug named after them! Last year, a school came together to name a bug after their principal, siblings named bugs after one another, people named bugs after their bosses and coworkers, some even named bugs after their college finals. Name a Bug is the perfect opportunity to show someone you care while supporting animal care at the Minnesota Zoo.

GET SWEET — OR SILLY — WITH YOUR MESSAGE
Every Name a Bug donation includes space for a personal message that we’ll share with your recipient. Make it romantic, ridiculous, or crawling with clever bug puns — it’s up to you!

WHY BUGS ARE SWEETER THAN A BOX OF CHOCOLATES
While bugs (and insects) serve as an important food source for many animals at the Zoo and in the wild, they often get a bad reputation; so, let’s show them some love!

• Beetles support soil health and pollination. The soldier beetle, for example, can be found in gardens throughout Minnesota during the summer months. Mainly feeding on pollen and nectar, their frequent contact with flowers makes them an important pollinator.
• Spiders help keep mosquitoes and other small insects at bay inside your home. The silk they produce for webs has been used since ancient times for bandages and wound healing.
• Cockroaches are pivotal players in many terrestrial ecosystems and key detritivores — sort of like the waste management unit of the forest. Many cockroach species exhibit caring behaviors toward each other including food sharing, grooming (known as allogrooming), and protecting their young.

This Valentine’s Day, be the bees’ knees and give a gift that’s sure to make a flutter. Name a bug today at MNZooFoundation.org/Bugs.

Name a Bug is proudly sponsored by Juggernaut Wines. Together, the Minnesota Zoo Foundation and Juggernaut Wines share a commitment to a future where people, animals, and the natural world thrive together. Juggernaut Wines’ support helps advance Minnesota Zoo initiatives that bring this shared vision to life.

ASSETS: Name a Bug Photos and Video


ABOUT THE MINNESOTA ZOO FOUNDATION

The Minnesota Zoo Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides critical funding and resources that support the Zoo’s initiatives and expand its impact.
The Minnesota Zoo is a year-round destination providing a window into the natural world. With hundreds of species of animals, worldwide conservation efforts, and acres of scenic beauty, the Zoo is a resource to connect people, animals and the natural world to save wildlife. For more information visit mnzoo.org. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and an institutional member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).

Diana Hein
Minnesota Zoo
+1 952-681-9199
diana.hein@state.mn.us
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