Extraction of flavonoids from Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis) wood with water was carried out to prepare, a termite feeding deterrent. A two-stage procedure for the extraction was adopted. The first extraction step was performed at ambient temperature (22 degreesC) and the second at elevated temperatures ranging 50-100 degreesC. The first step mainly gave a mixture of polysaccharides together with small amount of flavonoids. At the second step, the yield of extract and its chemical composition were greatly affected by the temperature. The yield of solubilised carbohydrates steadily increased with a rise in the temperature, while the overall yield of flavonoids reached its optimum at 70 degreesC. An additional increase in the temperature resulted in a decrease in the yield. Model experiments using dihydroffavonols confirmed the occurrence of oxidative dehydrogenation and/or intramolecular rearrangement during the hydrothermal treatment at higher temperatures. The crude water extracts showed strong feeding deterrent activities against the subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus, in a choice paper disc assay. The extracts containing flavonoids in large quantities exhibited potent termite feeding deterrent activities. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.