Code of Maine Rules
01 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY
001 - AGRICULTURE - GENERAL
Chapter 270 - MAINE APIARY RULES AND REGULATIONS
INTRODUCTION
Section 001-270-II - Definition of Terms

Universal Citation: 01 ME Code Rules § 001-270-II

Current through 2025-13, March 26, 2025

A. The terms used in these rules are defined below:

1. Abate means to take steps to terminate the risk of spread of contamination including destruction of contaminated hives and/or equipment.

2. Acarapis woodi means an endoparasitic mite of adult honeybees that lives in the anterior thoracic trachea, commonly referred to as the " tracheal mite".

3. Africanized honeybee means honeybees of the subspecies Apis mellifera scutellata.

4. American foulbrood means an infectious spore-forming bacterial disease caused by Bacillus larvae.

5. Apiary means all colonies, hives, and equipment assembled in one location.

6. Beehive means man-made box or receptacle for housing a colony of bees.

7. Brood means all bees in their immature stages (eggs, larvae, and pupa).

8. Certified health certificate means a statement issued by a state or federal official certifying that bees or beekeeping equipment are apparently free of regulated pests, diseases, or genetic material based on an inspection.

9. Chalkbrood means the fungal disease of honeybee larvae caused by Ascosphaera apis.

10. Colony means an aggregate of worker bees, drones, queen, and developing young, living together in a hive or other dwelling.

11. Commissioner means the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

12. Contaminated means infected, exposed to infection, or liable to carry infection, with disease of the honeybee.

13. Department means the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

14. Disease means any contagious and infectious pathogen or parasite of honeybees which is detrimental to beekeeping and the beekeeping industry, such as American foul brood, European foul brood, and Chalk brood.

15. European foul brood means bacterial disease of honeybee larvae caused by Melis sococcus pluton.

16. Frame means the movable wooden or plastic enclosing border of honeycomb.

17. Genetic material means any material used in biological reproduction, including, but not limited, to all life stages of bees, sperm, and ova.

18. Hive means man-made home for honeybees, also, referred to as a colony.

19. Hive body means wooden box that encloses the frame for holding honeycomb, also referred to as a super.

20. Honey bee means the species of bee identified as Apis mellifera.

21. Non-regulated pests and genetic material means those diseases, pests and parasites or genetic material of minimal impact to the beekeeping industry that are not subject to regulation.

22. Nuclei means any division or portion of a hive that contains comb, immature honeybees, adult honeybees, and a queen honeybee; usually 5 frames or less, used to form a new colony.

23. Parasite means any organism which derives nutrients by living on or in a honey bee and is detrimental to beekeeping and the beekeeping industry, such as Varroa destructorand Tropilaelaps spp.

24. Queen means sexually developed female honeybee.

25. Regulated pests and genetic material means those diseases, parasites, or genetic material designated by the Commissioner that must be abated due to their negative impact on the beekeeping industry.

26. Resmethrin means a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide used to abate infected or infested honeybee colonies.

27. State apiary inspector means any person designated by the Commissioner to inspect honey bee colonies in order to determine presence of pests or unwanted genetic material and enforce Maine Apiary Program statutes and rules.

28. Super means hive body used for the storage of surplus honeycomb.

29. Tropilaelapsspp. means external parasitic mites found on certain species of honeybees.

30. Varroa destructor means external parasitic mite of certain species of honeybee that feed on living larvae, pupae, and adult honeybees.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Maine may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.