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Local beekeepers are usually prepared to collect swarms free of charge, though they do not provide a service for wasps nests, bumble bees or others, and they may impose a charge if the swarm on commercial premises, or they are called to something that proves not to be a swarm, so have had a wasted trip
The Local Authority may provide a service for wasps nests - contact the Pest Control at your Town Hall (Ealing 020 8825 6644, Brent, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow) to enquire. Otherwise a private pest control contractor can be found via, for instance, the telephone directory.
There are also insecticides available from e.g. Garden Centres and the like that will "deal with" wasps nests, but take great care if you decide to use these - always read the label, obey the instructions, and ensure that you work safely - secure ladders, and protect yourself from stings! Wasps actually have a part to play in the environment and ecosystem (they are scavengers) and if the nest is out of the way and the wasps not troublesome .... why destroy it?
Swarms of bees normally appear in April, May, June and July, and consist of a large number of honey bees that form into a cluster, which may be about the size of a football, and contain as many as 5,000 bees!
This is a natural occurrence and the bees themselves will normally be good tempered, so there is little danger, although of course the swarm should be left alone unless you are experienced in handling them.
The swarm will usually congregate on a bush, tree, wall or similar object, and they normally appear at about lunch time on warm, dry, and wind free days.
A beekeeper may collect the swarm as it will provide a new honey producing colony.
You can contact a local beekeeper by phoning the local police station (Ealing 020 8 810 1212 for areas with a London postcode - W5, W7, W13 etc., and Southall for areas with a UB postcode - Perivale, Greenford, Northolt, Southall - tel 020 8574 1212) , who keep a list of beekeepers (do not use the 999 service - it is not an emergency!) or the Local Council (Ealing, Brent, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow); any of these will put you in touch with a local beekeeper.
The collection of the Swarm will normally be free of charge, although if the swarm is inaccessible, or the bees have moved into a cavity such as a chimney, hollow tree, or wall, then it may be impossible to collect and need to be destroyed by a pest control contractor.
There is (of course!) a website on swarms www.swarms.net
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