Martin Pentreath writes
Does a dilute solution of washing-up liquid actually DO anything to
aphids? They are running amok on my clematis armandii. The ladybirds
seem to be quite happy eating a couple and then basking in the sun

The ladybird larvae eat more pests than the adults.

while the aphids go on multiplying around them astronomically, and the
only effect I can see of my regular washing-up liquid attacks is that
the force of the spray dislodges the buggers.

It's probably killing off the ladybird larvae quite effectively.

--
Kay