ยง 173-b. Eradication of bee diseases and certain insects affecting
bees. The commissioner may cause inspections to be made of apiaries in
the state for the discovery of infectious, contagious or communicable
diseases and for the discovery of insects and parasitic organisms
adversely affecting bees, and for the discovery of species or subspecies
of bees which have been determined by him to cause injury, directly or
indirectly, to this state's managed bee population, crops, or other
plants. The commissioner shall provide a beekeeper or such beekeeper's
designated agent with reasonable advance notice of any inspection of an
apiary. The commissioner may also cause investigations to be made as to
the best method for the eradication of diseases of bees, insects or
parasitic organisms adversely affecting bees, or for the eradication of
species or subspecies of bees which have been determined by the
commissioner to cause injury, directly or indirectly, to this state's
managed bee population, crops, or other plants and the commissioner may
plan and execute appropriate methods for such eradication.
The commissioner shall have access to all apiaries, structures,
appliances, buildings, vehicles, airplanes, vessels or premises where
bees or honey or comb used in apiaries may be and may open any hive,
colony, package or receptacle of any kind containing or which the
commissioner has reason to believe contains any bees, comb, bee
products, used beekeeping appliances, or anything else which is capable
of transmitting contagious or infectious diseases of bees or which is
capable of harboring insects or parasitic organisms adversely affecting
bees, or species or subspecies of bees which have been determined by the
commissioner to cause injury, directly or indirectly, to this state's
managed bee population, crops, or other plants.