§ 319.76-4 - Inspections and treatments.

(a) Live bees, other than honeybees of the genus Apis, in any life stage shall be microscopically inspected by an inspector for exotic bee diseases and parasites, and any bee disease or parasite found will be physically removed by an inspector or destroyed by an inspector by treatment with a pesticide registered by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 135 et seq.), for use on bees and used in accordance with directions on the label in connection with the registration under the provisions of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, as amended. The inspection may include dissection of a statistically designed representative sample of the bees, if deemed necessary by the inspector for determinations concerning the absence or presence of bee diseases or parasites. If the inspector determines that a disease or parasite cannot be removed or otherwise destroyed, the bees shall be killed by immersion in a solution containing at least 70% alcohol.

(b) Any dead bees for research at the time of importation must be in a solution containing at least 70% alcohol, or must be in a dry, sealed container. If in a dry, sealed container, the dead bees shall be kept in the container under the control of an inspector at the port of entry for 7 days.

(c) Any restricted article not covered by paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, prior to movement into the United States from the port of entry, shall be treated under the supervision of an inspector as follows:

(1) Dead bees; used bee boards, hives, nests, or nesting material; used beekeeping equipment; and pollen for bee feed shall be treated in an airtight chamber with 450 mg of ethylene oxide per liter of chamber space at a temperature of at least 100° F (37.78° C) for 8 hours.

(2) Beeswax that has not been liquefied shall be melted.

(3) Honey for bee feed shall be heated to 212 °F (100 °C) for 30 minutes.