Frogs are one of the most remarkable examples of metamorphosis in the animal kingdom, transferring from little wriggly (sometimes carnivorous) tadpoles into four-legged hopping adults of all shapes and sizes. Identifying which tadpoles belong to which frog species from appearances alone can therefore be difficult – but by monitoring sites where known frog species are depositing their eggs, we can fill in this gap. For a research project in Brazil studying the Paranapiacaba Treefrog, however, this method proved tricky, as it became apparent that the tadpoles were disappearing from their birth pools (so to speak) before completing their development. So, where do they go?