Squirrels eat LED lights, but not red ones

FREDERICTON, New Brunswick, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Gray squirrels gobbling up outdoor LED Christmas lights are confounding officials in the eastern Canadian city of Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Bruce McCormack, general manager of a business improvement group told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. this is the fourth year the rodents are feasting on the lights, although he says they're particular.

"They'll come out … and they go up and they perch themselves in that tree and they gnaw away at the lights -- but not the red ones," he said. "The squirrels, I think, are getting the better of us."

McCormack said he thought he'd outfox the squirrels this year by using larger LED lights, but it seems they're just as tasty as the smaller ones, the report said.

Dave Morell, a marketing director for the University of New Brunswick, said he's experienced the same thing at his home's year-round LED display in the back yard.

"The squirrels in the neighborhood ... seem to like every color LED light, except the red ones," he said.

Meanwhile, McCormack told the CBC he's giving up and next year will illuminate downtown with large spotlights.