What is this?

[RatLabGuy]

Working on diagnosing a fuel leak in my 02 Protege5, i pulled tbe cover off of the fuel pump access panel to find this.

That is under the rear passenger seat. The panel was well sealed, Car has 204k miles, 16 years old, I'm 95% sure it's never even been opened.
What is that? It's a tiny bit of dirt and dried grass/straw with it.

 

[rockcity]

Looks like some sort of rodent nest. Likely getting access via where the hoses and wires enter the area.

 

[a_kelley]

X2, @rockcity called it. I hate rodents. Inspect lines for chewed places.

 

[RatLabGuy]

I figured it might be kind of nest.
I was referring specifically to the little beads. They are hard and hollow, a little smaller than corn kernels.
Interestingly I haven't found anything chewed up.

 

[LBarr2002]

I figured it might be kind of nest.
I was referring specifically to the little beads. They are hard and hollow, a little smaller than corn kernels.
Interestingly I haven't found anything chewed up.

I've found those hidden in odd places too. I don't know what they're called but we have some trees around our place that have clumps of little yellow berries. I assumed it was those dried up.

 

[Tom@Hilltop_Machine]

Those look like the small acorns that come off of pin oaks. You have a prepper mouse.