Spot Snake Pile Of Leaves Puzzle Twitter Viral Photo

Photo: Pexels.

A photo posted by a PhD student in snake biology has gone viral because Twitter users are trying to spot the hidden snake in the pictured pile of leaves. (For the record, nope, we still can't see it — and it's driving us crazy.)

Twitter user @SssnakeySci (a.k.a. Helen) presented the world with this puzzling image, along with a task: "Can you spot the snake?"

Received this from a fellow HERper this morning. No caption needed, the task was implied: "can you spot the snake?" ? pic.twitter.com/oVkjOm8ufy
— Helen???‍? (@SssnakeySci) April 23, 2017

Now, the picture — taken by photographer Jerry Davis in Texas — has taken on a life of its own. (Still looks like a pile of leaves and sticks to us...) Lots of Twitter users were so frustrated that they couldn't find it, as Someecards reports.

AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

"How do you post this and then not post the answer?!" one user tweeted at Helen.

@SssnakeySci @AlongsideWild how do you post this and then not post the answer D:
— What duck? (@geeoharee) April 23, 2017

"Difficult but I found it eventually (once I had actually put my glasses on)," tweeted Chloë Dalglish.

@SssnakeySci difficult but I found it eventually (once I had actually put my glasses on ?)
— Chloë Dalglish (@ChloeDalglish) April 24, 2017

Helen admitted her real reason for posting the mind-boggling pic: "Because I'm a terrible grad student who had a final paper deadline...so sorry!" Aha. No apologies needed.

@geeoharee @AlongsideWild Because I'm a terrible grad student who had a final paper deadline...so sorry! ?
— Helen???‍? (@SssnakeySci) April 24, 2017

Others gave helpful hints for finding the snake. "Exactly in the center of pic. Kindly zoom it and [then] you need to see the dark maroon colour snake stripes," wrote Ashish Aswal.

@geeoharee @SssnakeySci @AlongsideWild Exactly in the centerof pic.
Kindly zoom it and than you need to see the dark maroon color snake stripes.
— Ashish Aswal (@Ashish_Peace82) April 25, 2017

Many found it infuriatingly hard to see the snake again even once they initially found it.

"Even when you see it, it keeps disappearing. #camouflage," tweeted Katy Turner.

@SssnakeySci @theurban_fairy Even when you see it it keeps disappearing #camouflage
— Katy Turner (@katymeturner) April 24, 2017

Lots of people were wrong when trying to spot it. Hint: It is NOT on the bottom left. Try again, @CaesarLuciano.

@SssnakeySci Bottom left... pic.twitter.com/J7DkwBC91G
— Cesar Luciano (@CaesarLuciano) April 25, 2017

Is it really any shock that Snake Search 2017 turned into a meme?

Also, um, RUDE. T-Swift would not be pleased:

@SssnakeySci YESSS!!! Can you spot the snake??? ? pic.twitter.com/n8hkgGS2cq
— sydney deveraux (@SydDeveraux) April 25, 2017

Finally, Helen shed some light on where that damn snake was hiding.

If y'all haven't found it yet... Copperhead, aka Agkistrodon contortrix. Cute but venomous, so no touchy! ☺️?❤️ pic.twitter.com/pSVMIhFP0o
— Helen???‍? (@SssnakeySci) April 24, 2017

We finally found it after our clever intern pointed it out. Thanks, Ally!

Being a snake scientist, Helen also posted a PSA about snakes:

For everyone enjoying this puzzle, please remember: Snakes deserve to live just as we do. Treat them with care & respect, not hate & fear. https://t.co/ZjDFfXn0HP
— Helen???‍? (@SssnakeySci) April 25, 2017