Quick question--1st time drying hops

I'm putting my Columbus cones in the Excalibur food dehydrator tonight. There are plenty of cones that look all right, but have aphids under the petals. Some just a few aphids, others a bit more.

Should I use all the cones? How much energy should I devote to brushing the aphids off?

Also--some cones are quite sticky on the outside. I don't think it's lupulin--it may be honeydew, or whatever the stuff that aphids secrete is called. Any problem with drying and using those cones?

Thanks in advance for any insights.

Anyone?

I would let them dry out as you normally would. If they survive the process, then freezing them will either kill them or make them dormant. Either way, the little critters will be dead when boiled. But most likely dead well before that. I take the same approach with spider mites.

beerloaf

Don't dry them in your house because most of them will crawl out of the hops while drying.

Thanks, guys!