How do grasshoppers get nutrients?

A grasshopper has a hard exoskeleton. This exoskeleton cannot grow or stretch. So, as the grasshopper grows, it must shed its exoskeleton. This is called molting. When a grasshopper is ready to molt, it climbs onto a leaf or a branch. It may even hang upside down. Slowly, the grasshopper slides out of its old exoskeleton. Underneath, the grasshopper has a new, soft exoskeleton. The grasshopper puffs up with air. This makes its body bigger while the new exoskeleton hardens.