When ants set out foraging, each ant follows the one in front of it on a pheromone track, with the exception of the lead ant who will be guiding the way. On occasion the lead ant will get lost and travel in a large circle, eventually joining up to the end of the procession that it was leading. It will then be locked into following the ant in front just like every other ant, causing the entire line to travel in an endless circle. Known as an ant death spiral, this circle will last until broken by outside forces or, more likely, until the ants die of exhaustion after several days of marching.

Spirals have been witnessed at over 350m wide, decimating whole colonies in one fatal event.