An inconspicuous species, the presence of the gray wood frog is betrayed by the mating calls of the adult males, which are made from within a burrow or crevice amidst moss or under fallen logs (1) (5). During mating, (termed amplexus in frogs and toads), the male gray wood frog clambers upon the back of the female and grasps the body just in front of the hind legs. The female then produces a jelly-like cluster of around 90 eggs, which are fertilised by the male (6). The eggs are deposited in humid sites under logs or stones, close to a body of water, where they remain until the onset of rain causes the area to become flooded, at which point the eggs hatch and the tadpoles develop in the floodwater (1) (6). While this breeding strategy prevents the eggs from being exposed to aquatic predators, it relies upon rains occurring. Nevertheless, in the absence of rain the embryos can arrest development, and survive for up to 40 days on their abundant yolk reserves (2).