Storage Excretion
Many insects exhibit a phenomenon known as storage excretion. If excretory products are stored in the body instead of being eliminated, no water is expended for their excretion. Since uric acid is non-toxic and highly insoluble, it can be retained in the body for an indefinite period, without any ill-effect. This alternative strategy to the problem of excretion is quite common in cockroaches which store uric acid in fat body and cuticle.
The stored uric acid, which may account for as much as 10% of the dry body weight, also provide a-nitrogen depot for mobilisation at times of nitrogen deprivation.