The Abdomen

The grasshopper's abdomen is free of appendages except for those at the posterior end. These are used in mating and egg-laying. Because of the relatively small head and muscular thorax, most of the grasshopper's bodily functions are controlled in the abdomen. It contains the digestive tract which is divided into three parts: the fore-gut, mid-gut and hind-gut. The fore-gut actually starts at the mouth and runs on as a narrow oesophagus which, in turn, leads to the crop. The crop is a large sac in the thorax that serves as food storage that the grasshopper can enjoy at its leisure. The crop is lined with spiney ridges which serve to shread the food. The mid-gut is also the stomach. They're the same thing. It lies mostly in the abdomen.