This is how we’re keeping these creepy crawlers from nesting inside your #Ford. http://t.co/6X3PMmwGCO pic.twitter.com/1PY790SMS1
— Ford Motor Company (@Ford) August 5, 2015
Nesting in your vehicle's engine right now, there may be spiders. We're not talking giant Florida tarantulas -- in this case, the little ones pose the bigger threat.
They're called "yellow sac spiders," or Cheiracanthium inclusum.
About a third of an inch long, these tiny arachnids are not merely a Florida problem. They are found in every state, and like to spin webs and lay eggs inside tiny cavities.
Fuel vapor lines are particularly appealing nest sites.
The webs of a yellow sac spider are thin, but are as strong as steel of the same diameter. Meaning when webs are allowed to build up, the blockages in the engine can do serious damage.
Fortunately, one of Ford's record number of patent applications in 2015 was for a spider screen.
This screen keeps sac spiders from building their nests inside key engine areas. It will be installed first in the 2016 Ford Focus RS, and then in all new vehicles globally. Be sure to check out Karl Flammer Ford Inc. for a spider-free ride.