I believe this is not a bee, but a yellow-jacket wasp. When we were living in NH we had a small nest of these wasps between one window and its storm window one year... Thankfully we never used the window, so I just left them alone, but was sure to remove the nest once fall had come and they had abandoned the nest after migrating (or hibernating?) south. :)

IMHO... This year there should be no real danger from these wasps if it's in a place where no one can accidently bother the nest. Though you should make sure you remove this nest after they leave this fall, or they'll come back to it year after year, and the nest will grow larger each year.

Hi Jonathan ---- All you pictres are so neat!!!! This one of the Bee is very interesting. Do you remember the big Bee's nest outside our bed room window at our old house. It was amazing too. Tons of love --- Gaba and Papa