Why do insects shed their skin?

Insects shed their skin to meet their own growth needs. The exoskeleton of insects is composed of a wax layer and a chitin layer. The wax layer is located on the outermost edge of the exoskeleton, which can prevent the evaporation of water in the insect body. The chitin layer is the main component of the exoskeleton, and below it are epidermal cells that can secrete exoskeleton components. Once the exoskeleton components secreted by the epidermal cells harden, they cannot continue to expand, thus limiting the growth of insects. Therefore, insects will shed their skin due to growth changes during their growth and development.

When molting, the epidermal cells secrete an enzyme that dissolves the chitin layer and breaks the wax layer, so that the insect sheds a layer of skin. At the same time, the epidermal cells will also re-secrete the exoskeleton components, and the insect's body will grow and develop before the new exoskeleton completely hardens.

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