What smell is irresistible to squirrels?

Squirrels have a strong sense of smell and are irresistibly attracted to smells that signal high-calorie, fatty, nutty, and sweet foods that help them survive and store energy for winter. The most irresistible smells to squirrels include nuts, especially peanuts, walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts, with roasted peanuts being extremely attractive due to strong oily aroma, peanut butter which has a powerful fatty nutty smell that travels far and is why it is used as bait for squirrel traps, sunflower seeds and other bird seed, corn, especially sweet corn and cracked corn, and fruits like apples, grapes, and berries when ripe. They are also attracted to the smell of bread, pastries, and other baked goods, pet food, especially dog and cat kibble, and garbage containing food waste. In the fall, the smell of buried nuts from other squirrels can attract them to dig. For trapping or feeding, peanut butter spread on a cracker or apple slice combined with sunflower seeds is considered almost irresistible. However, this attraction can be a problem for homeowners because the smell of bird feeders, fallen fruit, and unsecured trash draws squirrels into yards, attics, and gardens. To reduce attraction, store bird seed in sealed metal containers, clean up fallen fruit, and use squirrel-proof feeders, because once squirrels smell an easy food source they will persistently try to access it.