Mercedes Velvet Ant Wasp

Size about 6mm. It was running fast, like an ant. I identified this to species level based on http://nz-hymenoptera.myspecies.info/taxonomy/term/1108. I further checked distribution of E. bivulnerata. This species has been documented for Auckland and figures as introduced species. Further investigation hints that this is actually an Australian species. Neither ALA nor GBIF show records for Australia. Based on http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.574.3774 this species might prey on a ground living bee. In the absence of an English vernacular name, I call this wasp Mercedes Velvet Ant Wasp, based on the black Mercedes trademark sign on its back and because it was such a busy merchant. There are a few videos and articles on the web about the painful Velvet Ant sting. Further expertise might be provided here: http://australianmuseum.net.au/uploads/journals/19906/1562_complete.pdf