Pest (aphid?) in seeds I just collected

I just collected the seeds from a sunflower-type flower (guillarda?) I grew from seed after the heads were dry. After shaking the seeds out, I noticed some TINY critters (aphids? the plants had a ladybug on them!) Should I just throw out the seed or is there any way I can treat / rescue them?

If the seeds are dried enough, you can put them in the freezer and the bugs will die.

Are you talking about blanket flower gaillardia? These seeds are on the ends of a little tuft of fluff and don't really shake out. I hope you have seed there and not something else. Gaillardia seed are usually just lifted off the flower head after it is dry and there are not usually bugs on these dried seed heads.
Some little bugs just like to hide on the flower head and you can place the seed on a plate and let them crawl away before storing them.Paper plates or paper bowls are good to use.
If I knew for sure what type of flower you had it might be easier to offer some advice.

Windy...thanks so much...and yes, I allowed the heads to dry out...then shook SOMETHING ...what I don't know...out. I'll plant them with what you said in mind...not expecting much! Thanks so much!

If it is a gaillardia, just place the seed on top of moist soil and press it in to contact it. They need light to germinate. You can also cover the pot with a piece of plastic to help keep them moist until germination. These do well with fall sowing also.

I would not do this, but has anyone ever harvested seeds one year, and turned around and planted again the same season? (I'm quite "green" when it comes to seeds, so please don't laught as this question~ ha.)

Some seeds you can Connie; some prefer winter stratification (basically sitting out in a pot all winter down here). I've done most of what I have from seeds. Gaillardia usually does best for me fall sown--but you could certainly try it now. Shade and plenty of water (I don't cover anything down here). When you pick them off the flowers bring them in, put on paper plate in A/C for 2-3 weeks to dry out. Just stick the plate somewhere it won't get knocked over (which has happened a lot to me) like the top of a bookcase.

Wow...cool....thanks, dmj!!

I do it with a lot of seeds. I grab some dried seed heads off of plants and as I walk along change my mind and just scatter them near the mother plant. It works best with seeds that are small, like rudbeckias and poppies, rose campion. I do it now because if I saved all those seeds, I wouldn't have any place to store them. They will usually over winter and start germinating the following spring.

Ohhhh...good idea. But then I guess you know what all the tiny-baby plants look like so as not to "weed" them? I"m not to that degree of knowledge yet! lol

You could put a few in a pot and match them. LOL
We all started by experimenting and winning some and losing some. You will be surprised how quickly you will advance.