Please help identify these pods on my Arborvitae

This is a new one to me. I have never seen these little pod growths on any other Arborvitae before and only one tree has them on it. You will see from the picture it appears they are part of the tree - growing from the branch with needles surrounding the pod but then others I have pulled off almost seem they are spun-like silk thread with the pods hanging off the branch. Also, (and very sorry for the grossness) they felt squishy and when I squeeze them they goosh green slimy stuff out which almost looks like tree something or another but could be.... I don't know, alien gunk?

Bagworms http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef440.asp We're having a "banner" year here with them, I've never seen so many before :(

Best to pull them all off by hand and squish them, as you started on above

Wear gloves, if you find it too gross to do bare-handed ;-)

Resin

Bagworms. I have them on my newly planted arborvitae and I've been pulling them off every day.

Thank you all for identifying...although I wished I hadn't been eating breakfast when reading this! Ewe!

Gosh darnit, this has absolutely been the WORST year for garden pests and weeds! I've had Gypsy Moths, grasshoppers, four lined bugs, Japanese beetles, tons of June bugs and now these. And, I think every single tree seed that dropped seeded itself along with all the normal weeds I usually get. Unfortunately taking care of all of that hasn't left me much time for REAL gardening.

I appreciate all your help and will get picking and squishing, that is, after my breakfast settles....

I confess that I'm not squishing, just putting them all in my trash can for pickup by the City. Maybe I should squish to keep them from spreading out from the city dump site. Anyone on this?

Should be OK, they'd have a very long walk to get anywhere from the dump! People don't live near dumps, as dumps stink so much.

Resin

Thanks, Resin, for your encouraging words. I really don't relish the idea of having to squish those things. They look nasty enough just as they are.

Somehow it wasn't so bad squishing them when I didn't know what they were!

That's kind of a weird thing as I don't mind at all smashing grasshoppers between the palms of my bare hands. I guess that's how much I've come to dispise them! I just want them GONE by whatever means.

Hee hee Resin, tell that to the people that live on Staten Island, NY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresh_Kills_Landfill

At this size, bagworms are best, and easily, picked off by hand. When younger and smaller (and harder to notice), pesticide sprays work fine. Be diligent as just one left behind, if female, can leave over 500 eggs for next year. They can be very destructive and are usually attracted to junipers and arborvitaes first, but I've seen them on all types of conifers, and even deciduous shrubs and trees. You can also drop them in a pail of soapy water to let them drown if you don't want to squish them, or just step on them. They WILL crawl back on the shrubs if you leave them nearby, unsquished!