Water movement through the integument

The integument of most terrestrial animals is relatively impermeable to water and very little water is lost through the skin.

                                               Table: Evaporative Water Loss of Animals under Desert Conditions

You have seen in the above table that insects lose very little moisture through the integument. It is due to the presence of waxy cuticle which is highly impermeable to water. The wax is deposited on the surface of the exoskeleton through fine canals that penetrate the cuticle