Optical illusion so tough only 'five per cent' of people can see stick insect

Optical illusions are designed to trick our minds using colour and light patterns to deceive – but if you manage to concentrate and focus enough, it means you're pretty smart.

In order to solve a tricky brain teaser or optical illusion, you have to get your brain and eyes to work together – but that's sometimes easier said than done.

That being said, doing optical illusions allows us to become better thinkers, problem solvers, and can also reportedly help with empathy. So why not try one today?

One optical illusion is said to be so tough only 5% of people manage to see past it.

Can you spot it within four seconds? (stock image) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The image in question is of a branch of a tree – but there's more than meets the eye. A stick insect is hiding in the picture, and according to JagranJosh, 95% of people fail to spot it within four seconds.

The stick insect has the ability to camouflage and blend into its environment, making this optical illusion extra tricky, so you can be forgiven for not spotting it straight away.

Take a few moments to focus your mind on what you're trying to find. If you can't spot it within the time limit, don't worry. Practicing doing optical illusions will make your mind even sharper.

If you're still having trouble finding it, we've popped the answer below. It's tricky to see, because the stick insect looks like part of the branch, so consider this a spoiler warning.

Here's the stick insect - it looks just like the branch (Pinterest)

One thing that can help you become better at optical illusions is just keeping at it.

In a previous brain teaser, players are challenged to spot a hidden hanger among a pile of trousers, socks, shirts, blouses, skirts, vests and pants. If you can solve it within 97 seconds, you are better than average.

Up for another one? In another tricky puzzle, you have slightly longer to complete it, at 13 seconds, but you have to find a whopping six letters.

If 13 seconds was just-about doable for you, we have another one with the same time limit. However, in this one you only need to find one odd letter – which may not be as easy as it sounds.

Did you manage to spot the stick insect? Let us know in the comment section below.