mating ball

noun

1. a writhing mass of snakes, usually composed of a single female and 10 or more males attempting to mate with her.

Example Sentences

Often, multiple males will pile onto a single female, forming a tangled heap known as a “mating ball” that can seriously injure the female or even drown her.

From Science Magazine

Collectively, Donald Trump, his advisers and other minions, rank-and-file supporters, the Republican Party, and Fox News and the right-wing media are like a mating ball of fascist authoritarian snakes.

From Salon

Using radio trackers, scientists found the snakes like to occupy gopher tortoise burrows, and found six males and a female squeezed into a “mating ball”.

From The Guardian

Each year, thousands of snake aficionados travel to the Narcisse Snake Dens of Manitoba, Canada for some mating ball tourism.

From Salon