Leaf trap near lower door hinge

Haven't seen anything about something I found a little while back. I'm just getting around to taking pics and getting the word out.

Open your drivers door (and passenger too) and look forward below the lower hinge. You will see a flat rubber cover on the body side. I enclosed a few pictures. Pull the cover towards you and you will find a ton of leaves and crap behind there.
I park my truck under a tree a lot of the times and constantly pull leaves out of the gutter where the wipers are and even open the hood to clean them out of the vent area but that eveidently not enough. A lot of stuff accumulates in there.

Note: it appears that the mudflaps are the back wall of this crevis area. So I would guess if you remove your mudflaps it is a great place for stuff to get in from the front.

 

The previous owner of my truck parked it outside and I discovered an ants nest in that same spot a few weeks after I bought it. I couldn't figure out why i couldn't get rid of the ants on my truck. I took a shop vac and a water hose to clean all the crud out of there. I park the truck in the garage at home and try not to park under trees (sap) in parking lots.

 

same thing happens with my truck i just dont clean it out

 

It has to be some drain holes out there to keep the area dry. Otherwise you have to deal with rust as well.
Thanks, I'll check mine.
take care
vbibi