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For the past ten years, Name-a-Roach, the tongue-in-cheek Valentine's Day gift offered by the Bronx Zoo, has made us laugh out loud and, this year, we need the giggles more than ever before.
The program allows those interested to symbolically name one of its 10,000-plus giant Madagascar hissing cockroaches after a loved one. (Read: an ex—because who ever thought of roaches as symbols of love?)
You shouldn't feel guilty: all gift proceeds will help both the Bronx Zoo and the Wildlife Conservation Society further their respective missions. A good cause, after all.
For $15, you'll get to name the roach and your loved one (or ex, depends on what you decided to go with) will receive a colorful email certificate letting them know about their namesake. You can even upgrade the package to include a pair of themed socks, a knit beanie and a special virtual encounter with a real-life Madagascar cockroach and another animal guest. You can place your order right here.
Jokes aside, the bugs are pretty cool animals. At nearly four inches long, the are the largest roach species in the world and their namesake hissing noise is emitted as a defense mechanism. And, lest you think of them as pests whose mere sight apartment dwellers fear, think again: unlike every other roach species, they are technically not considered pests and they rarely enter homes.
Want to see some live? Head to the Bronx Zoo's Madagascar! exhibit, where the insects live alongside crocodiles, lemurs and a slew of other animals from the African island nation.
Back to Name-a-Roach: for what it's worth, we foresee plenty of New Yorkers marking the year by naming a little bug after departing mayor Bill de Blasio. And we can't say we blame them.