The usual prey for the mantis are moth, flies, crickets, grasshoppers, and also other mantises. They also eat soft shelled turtles, mice, newts, etc., and birds such as the humming bird. They can devor even small snakes if the need be. They usually bite their prey on the neck to paralyze it and then start eating from the front to ensure the least struggle. They have large appetites and an average mantis is known to eat up to sixteen crickets a day. They have a strong digestive system, located in the segmented abdomen. This strong digestive system allows them to eat large prey. All of the nutrients from their digestion go straight to their blood. And the undigestable parts are removed as waste products. Praying mantises produce very little waste because their digestive system is so strong.