If you want an expanse of mulch, the only options are hand weeding it or spraying it with Round up.

Almost no one hand weeds. So when you see an expanse of mulch, it’s probably maintained by a contractor using spray.

If you want to manage your yard without round up, you have to plant densely or weed a lot. Nature abhors a vacuum.

As for the ants, the ants are allowed to live. You’ve got to unclench. Or pave your whole property.

The best option for you is probably just to hire a yard crew. They will add mulch and spray it periodically and you can just not go out there, thus avoiding the ants.

Have your soil tested. If you’re having that many ants, something is out of whack.

If you are having to weed too much, you need to put more native plants in and you need to layer the hell out of the mulch. Lasagna gardening.

Don’t apply insecticides just to kill ants unless you want to poison everything else in your yard.

I need help finding the right mulch for my front yard. Lately, I’ve seen some ants that look like termites, and I’m so tired of the small red ants and the big black ones. I’m also tired of manually weeding the base of the trees and and the flower bed.
Is cedar the best option? May I use Virginia fines after applying an insecticide?
Thanks