Asian hornets in the UK. A chance of stopping them?

[Repwoc]

Just received an email from the NBU:

Following the publicity on the BBC earlier today, the National Bee Unit have had details submitted to them of an Asian Hornet nest that was destroyed by the householder less than a week ago near Caldicot. However, a photograph was taken which has been classed as plausible (although not confirmed):

Whilst similar insects have not been seen since, we must now be on high alert as this lead cannot be verified as the evidence has been destroyed.

 

[Belgianbeekeeper]

Yes definitely, it is easier every year. Karol will come in I'm sure but I think he said the nests will be less than 500m away, I know one of mine was 100m last year. Flight time is 50 mins I believe before refuelling. I think Jersey enjoy the work, it is still fairly new and they have the resources, we don't.

Tiago the guy who works for me discovered a nest last year in the ground on his neighbours land, he showed his neighbour, they both got stung, his neighbour died a few days later in hospital, these are really not to be messed with.

First nest i found by triangulation this year was at 1800 meters,one visited clock steady every 70 minutes,so 35 minutes single distance.One thing we learned was that these "flighttimes" are sort of unreliable,at 300 meters from the nest the marked ones came sometimes every 10 minutes sometimes they left a gap of 30 minutes

 

[Sutty]

I wonder, in areas where it is appropriate and legal, whether treating the immobilised AH with just S-methoprene would be a better option as more repeated visits and so more S-methoprene in the nest. As I recall it's an I sect growth inhibitor, which prevents progression of eggs & larval stages & will stop the queen laying viable eggs.
Obviously it would take longer to see results but could be better for permanently killing a nest whereas fipronil might just weaken it.

Attaching harmonic radar transponders as described in "the mind of a bee" could be useful in tracking AH flight to find nests.