Lynne, while scouring the Web, trying to identify the "bee" that stung me a few days ago, I ran across this...
(not that identifying the nest can make a difference. It's not going to go away by itself!) From Ohio State University Extension :
The northern or paper wasp is about 3/4 to 1-inch long, slender, narrow waisted with long legs and reddish-orange to dark brown or black in color. There are yellowish markings on the abdomen. Paper-like nests, shaped like tiny umbrellas, are suspended by a short stem attached to eaves, window frames, porch ceilings, attic rafters, etc. Each nest consists of a horizontal layer or "tier" of circular comb of hexagonal cells not enclosed by a paper-like envelope. The ends of the cells are open with the heads of the larvae exposed to view.
While according to Master Gardener's, "some species of wasps parasitize
(live on or in a host as a parasite) a variety of insects such as caterpillars, beetle larvae, aphids, flies and hornworms"... I don't think
(ESPECIALLY AFTER HAVING JUST BEEN STUNG), that their good outweighs the potential bad in your case.
Wasps love our house for some reason, & we're forever pressure hosing their nests from under our eaves & under the rim of our hot tub. We used a wasp & hornet spray once, during a time of high infestation, which broadcasts a wide, foggy chemical where it's aimed, & takes care of the problem... BUT, I've always wondered if those high wasp populations coincide with high populations of the bad, plant-destroying bugs!
These Hymenoptera (suborder) insects are docile at night & during the winter, & their nests can be knocked/scraped off (you might have to touch up the paint where the nest was attached), allowing the occupants to relocate & continue their work.
Time for a judgment call, eh? Either way, I think you should get the nest off your house, as it's not very decorative, & TRUST ME ON THIS... you don't want to get stung!
I'll add this as a warning: Please be careful & don't grab at something without knowing what your hand is going to land on!
(Paranoia might just be a good thing!)