Only 1% can spot butterflies in leaves using a tricky optical illusion

Thought a needle in a haystack was hard to find? How about a butterfly in a pile of leaves?

Social media users’ eyes swam over this stunning optical illusion, in which viewers are challenged to find a butterfly camouflaged among autumn leaves.

“There is a rare butterfly species in the botanical garden. Will you be the first to find it?” challenges a YouTube clip by entomological eye Nigma.

[Warning: Spoilers Below]

Additionally, according to the video, anyone who sets their eye on the fly in five seconds is in the top 1% of brain teasers.

The trippy photo features a pile of brown and orange maple leaves, with the flamboyant flapper seemingly nowhere to be seen.

However, on closer inspection – or rather, a handy spoiler from the aforementioned clip – visual butterfly collectors may be able to spot the insect perched on one of the leaves in the lower-left corner. The beetle is almost impossible to spot because its rust-like coloring is indistinguishable from the leaf litter.

This isn’t the first ophthalmic wildlife safari to have people’s eyes popping out of their sockets. Earlier this week, puzzle lovers were thrown into a loop by this illusion that challenged viewers to find the snake hidden in a sea of ​​turtles.

In another needle-in-a-haystack-like drawing, observers are challenged to find the mouse among the mushrooms in less than a minute.

Optical illusions like these are often intended just as a light-hearted distraction from the stresses of modern life — but they also have legitimate scientific value for medical professionals. These brain teasers are credited with helping researchers shed light on the complex inner workings of the human mind and how it responds to its surroundings.

dr Gustav Kuhn, a psychologist and expert in human perception at Goldsmiths University in London, told The Sun that illusions are important to our understanding of the brain: “We usually take perception for granted and rarely think about the hard work that goes into it Underlying everyday life is tasks, such as seeing a cup of coffee in front of you.”