"Blue Ant" is not an "Ant"

When I was a kid, in Melbourne (a long time ago) these insects were known as "Blue Bottles". When I moved to Canberra and subsequently visited beaches in NSW, I discovered that "Blue Bottles" were a kind of Jellyfish, or "stingers". Now I learn that "Bluebottles" (as they are known on the NSW coast), also known as "Portuguese Man o' War" are not "Jellyfish" at all, but are "not a single animal but a colony of four kinds of highly modified individuals (polyps)." Apparently they are related to Corals and Sea Anemones, (unlikely as that may seem - to a non-marine-biologist like me).

This "Blue Bottle" is also called a "Blue Ant", but once again, it is not an Ant. In fact is a female Flower Wasp, Diamma bicolor.

My female Wasp was climbing around amongst the flowers of a mauve-flowered Hebe shrub (formerly known as a "Veronica") .

I was first attracted to this shrub because of masses of insects
swarming around its flowers.
Most were either "Hover Flies" or tiny native Bees.
But then I realised I was looking at
this scary and dangerous-looking insect
amongst the mauve Hebe flowers.
Look closely.

Here it is - cropped.
Note the long curved antenna on the right of the head.
Ants have bent antennae, not curved segmented antennae.
This is another close-up shot.
This time the left antenna is visible.
You can clearly see the segments in the antenna.
(Click to see full size)
Eventually the Insect came right out in the open for me.
The stiff sparse hairs on the body are clearly visible.

Normally these Insects are found wandering around on the ground. They use their sting to paralyse "Mole Crickets", prior to burying them alive and laying eggs on them, in much the same way as the "Orange Spider Wasp" treats Huntsmen Spiders, as seen a few days ago.

Apparently this wasp is capable of delivering a nasty sting. I need no persuading to be careful of them.

Incidentally, the males of this species have wings with which to fly, and they even carry their female mates around from place to place, when feeling in a "romantic mood".