Grey squirrels in Fredericton have developed a taste for Christmas lights. Especially if they aren't red.

The pesky critters chewed up the LED lights used to decorate city trees each holiday season for the past four years.

This year, Downtown Fredericton Inc. tried to outfox the squirrels by putting up larger bulbs, hoping they'd be too big to swallow.

But Bruce McCormack, general manager of the downtown group, said the bigger bulbs haven't slowed down the munching rodents, which normally eat nuts, seeds, conifer cones and fruits.

"Well, I think it's been four years now that we've tried to keep the downtown lit with LED lights, and it seems to be a losing battle," McCormack said Tuesday.

"The squirrels, I think, are getting the better of us. They seem to be very, very hungry and they like plastic and they like the LED lights and that's all. We just can't fight them anymore."

Still, McCormack can't help but laugh about the squirrelly shenanigans. These animals are fussy about what they eat, even within the Christmas light category.

"It's fun to watch the squirrels. 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."

Dave Morell, marketing director for the UNB Varsity Reds teams, said that his year-round backyard lights only seem tasty to squirrels if they're blue or white. They won't touch red bulbs.

"The squirrels in the neighbourhood here on the north side of Fredericton seem to like every colour LED light, except the red ones," he said. "And they will take their time and they will eat through the bulbs of every light. Except the red ones."

Morell said McCormack shouldn't let the critters put a damper on the city's Christmas lights.

"I'm a little more determined than Bruce is," he said. "You know, he has this thing that he's tried it so long that he's just given up. Well, I don't give up. I just keep putting up red ones."

As for the Christmas spirit in downtown Fredericton, McCormack said that next year his group will use large spotlights to illuminate the area.