Insects can patch their broken bones

By mending its external 'skeleton,' locusts regain about two-thirds of a leg's original strength When a person breaks a leg, they might get a splint, cast or boot to cradle the bone as it heals. But what happens when a locust breaks a limb? Instead of a cast on the outside, the insect will patch itself up from the inside. These patches can restore up to 66 percent of a leg's former strength, a new study finds. Locusts and other insects rely on an exoskeleton — external support — made of cuticle. This material is made from a material called chitin. The cuticle has two layers. The outer one is tough and can be very thick. It forms a protective armor. The inner layer flexes much more. When cut, the cuticle forms a clot to seal off the wound. Then cells on either side of the cut secrete new endocuticle. The secretion spreads across and under the cut. Eventually it turns hard. This creates a thick patch on the inside. While it's good to know locusts in a lab can heal busted limbs, no one knows if they also will do it in the wild. It took at least 10 days for a leg to heal. That's a long time in the three- to- six- month lifespan of a locust.