| There are usually very few gypsy moths around. Their numbers increase over time until there are finally a whole lot of them. Finally there are just too many and they experience a crash. When a crash happens most of the gypsy moths are wiped out. When this happens the whole cycle starts over again with the small number that survive.
When there are lots of gypsy moths around they can eat so much that the trees can lose all of their leaves. This is called defoliation. During June and July the caterpillars often cover sidewalks, homes, children's play equipment and other objects. This makes doing things outdoors almost impossible.
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