Ants In Garden Path

DoneWorking

I've noticed ants in several cracks in my garden tarmac path
Some of them have wings
What's the simplest way to eradicate them 
I'm concerned that they may eventually undermine the path or start entering the house

elsien

Alongside your other thread about woodlice, you can’t eradicate garden insects. It’s just not possible. 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6540630/woodlice-in-abundance#latest

  If they’re being a nuisance, you might be able to persuade them move elsewhere, or kill off one nest, but they are part of the ecological system and they move where conditions suit them. 

The flying ants are taking themselves off elsewhere because they have outgrown the colony. 

If by any chance they do start coming in the house block up any holes when they where they are entering and don’t leave food out that will entice them. A bit of ant killer at that point should do the trick. 

-taff

ants nest underneath things where it's dry. You might as well leave them alone until they fly away [ there's one or two days a year when they swarm and fly off] You won't eradicate them, they'll just move somewhere else. If they enter the house it's because there's space for them to get in and they find something yummy to eat, so as long as it's clean, and there's no food hanging round or recycling with jars with sweet stuff in them available, they won't come in. If they do come in, buy some nippon in a tube and put it on a pece of cardboard on their route in, they'll take it back to the nest and they'll die. Otherwise, just leave them alone....

As for undermining your path, it's not likely. The tarmac is probably already failing because it isn't the best thing to be making paths out of.

Brie

Boiling hot water has helped me in a couple of situations.

DoneWorking

Brie said:

Boiling hot water has helped me in a couple of situations.

Do you pour the boiling water into the nest
If it's deep it may not kill the Queen
Someone suggested using bicarbonate of soda plus icing sugar 
Anyone tried this 

Also vinegar and water spray to keep them out your house 

Does this work 

-taff

If they're not in your house, don't worry about it.

Keep_pedalling

-taff said:

If they're not in your house, don't worry about it.

Is the correct answer. The ants did not cause the cracks they are just taking advantage of them. The winged individuals are new queens and males, Most will be eaten by birds and a few will form new colonies, all will be gone within a day (they emerge on mass in large numbers as a survival strategy).