§ 173. 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 useful bee population, crops, or other plants. He 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 him to cause injury, directly or indirectly, to this state's useful bee population, crops, or other plants and he may plan and execute appropriate methods for such eradication.

The commissioner shall have access to all apiaries, structures, appliances or premises where bees or honey or comb used in apiaries may be. He may open any hive, colony, package or receptacle of any kind containing or which he 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 him to cause injury, directly or indirectly, to this state's useful bee population, crops, or other plants.