Spot the deadly danger: Photo serves as a timely (and frightening) reminder to Aussies in the sweltering weather

A man has warned that it is important to be alert when walking in the bush, especially in summer.

A photo shared on Facebook shows fallen brown leaves and sticks on the ground among some bushes, which at first glance look normal.

But upon closer inspection, one can see a copperhead snake lying disguised among the dead leaves.

The snake is almost invisible because its skin is the same shade as its surroundings, making the animal a deadly threat to hikers.

The man was walking through bushes, but managed to spot a snake and quickly take a photo to warn others.

“This is why you have to watch every step in the forest,” he wrote.

A man was walking through bushes but managed to spot a snake and quickly take a photo to warn others. “This is why you have to watch every step in the forest,” he wrote

The stark warning, which has been shared 308 times since it was uploaded, has sparked dozens of shocked reactions.

‘I see nothing but leaves and twigs! I zoomed in and scanned it too!’ one commented.

‘I would be dead. I don’t see anything,” wrote another, while a third said: “Okay where exactly is it because I’ve been looking for the last few minutes and I can’t find it.”

But after you see the animal, you can’t unsee it.

‘Wow… That fits together really well!’ someone else wrote, another said: ‘In plain sight’.

Copperhead snakes are found in Australia and are highly venomous.

These snakes are restricted to relatively cool and cold environments in southeastern parts of Australia including Kangaroo Island, Tasmania and the Bass Strait Islands.

According to the Australian Museum, a copperhead snake bite can be potentially fatal without medical attention.

‘Copperheads live mainly on the ground, but they occasionally climb. There are three different types of copperheads: Pygmy Copperhead, Highland Copperhead and Lowland Copperhead,” the website says.