I was hiking through enchanted woods on a brilliant summer day; making the most of my vacation. The sky was clear, songbirds were singing sad arias and a gentle breeze whispered softly through the big oaks and maples like a forlorn woman. It was the perfect afternoon for hunting butterflies.

The winding path led me atop a hill where I discovered, to my delight, a patch of wild raspberries. As I sampled the berries I noticed a small clearing beyond a large buckeye tree. I moved toward the tree and peeked out from behind. Down below was a secluded, miniature meadow; and in the middle flowed a tiny brook sparkling like a golden ribbon. There were moss-covered stones and lush ferns all around the water and short green clover was laid out like a fancy bed cover.

There, sunning herself by the trickling brook, was one of the most beautiful females I’d ever seen. She was magnificent! She had nothing on but her birthday suit. She almost looked like she was in prayer, worshiping the sun. My heart was pounding. It was a sight to behold.

I didn’t want to startle her, so I hid behind a bush and quietly observed. Man, did she have some gams! Long, perfectly shaped legs that stretched out forever. She had these big, hypnotic green eyes and an aura about her that could only be described as sensuous. I just wanted to sit and admire her awesome beauty.

Of course, I’d recognized her from the git-go. Her name was Carolina Mantid. She had quite the reputation. This was no ordinary female — she was a femme fatale! At that moment, I felt like the luckiest chap in the world. This was much better than looking at any old Playboy magazine. Here she was, sunbathing in the woods all alone, with the whole world watching.

She was like a sultry, forest siren waiting for her prey.

Then I noticed a male coming up the little path. He was headed right toward her. I supposed that Carolina could take care of herself and I didn’t feel too alarmed. In fact, as preposterous as it sounds, I was feeling a little jealous. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her. She instinctively looked over in his direction and made the slightest of gestures. He casually strolled over to her. They looked each other over with phony coyness and within seconds, without a word, they were embracing! I couldn’t believe my eyes. Did they know one another? How naughty and delightfully erotic. Suddenly, butterflies were the last thing on my mind. I felt like a perverted voyeur, a woodland peeping Tom – but I had to watch.

The guy was ravishing her! She responded in kind, writhing in ecstasy. She wrapped her long legs around the stranger and accepted him inside her. I must say I was getting a little hot under the collar watching this graphic display of raw sex. I’d never seen anything like that in the woods, or the bedroom.  The stranger was small, but evidently size isn’t everything. What he lacked in proportion he made up in passion and stamina. He kept thrusting away at Carolina. The two were oblivious to everything except one another. Both were caught up in a spastic sexual rhythm that was coming to a heady climax. I thought I might hyperventilate while scrutinizing this little pornographic peep show!

They shuddered as they held on to each other for dear life. Finally it looked as if they climaxed together. Then the stranger relaxed his grip. He moved up on her and stared her right into those big green eyes.

Suddenly, without warning, she attacked him. She grabbed his head, bit into it and ripped it off with one swift, cruel swipe to the neck! It was horrible! Then she went for his body. She gleefully tore his legs off and started munching on them. Greenish blood and guts were everywhere. She was feasting on her lover and enjoying every morsel. Only her lurid appetite for flesh equaled her insatiable appetite for sex. The poor guy didn’t have a chance. He didn’t know what hit him.

I had had enough. I got up and slammed my butterfly net over Carolina and grabbed her. She was strong and tried frantically to wriggle out of my grasp. I took her out of the net and doused her with chloroform. She immediately conked out. I took out a big straight pin and rammed it through her abdomen. Then I popped her in a jar and put the lid on nice and tight.

Yes indeed, she was the best specimen of Carolina Mantid I had ever found. She reminded me of my ex-wife — she was a ruthless stick insect, too!