PICKENS — If you have ever wondered about the workings of a colony of honeybees, the Pickens County Beekeepers Association has just the class for you.

PCBA will be offering an introductory beekeeping class this spring. The four Saturday sessions will cover all of the information needed for anyone to start keeping bees.

The first class session will be held on Jan. 30 at the Fellowship Hall of the Pickens Presbyterian Church, located at 311 W. Main St. in downtown Pickens, starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 1 p.m. There will be opportunities during subsequent classes for the students to get hands-on experience with beekeeping equipment and to see the inside of an active bee colony. Experienced beekeepers will cover honeybee biology, nectar and pollen gathering, honey bee pests and diseases, hive components and assembly, products of the hive and marketing honey.

The cost of the class is $50 per person and includes course materials and a textbook. Youth 14 and under (accompanied by an adult) may take the class for $25 per person. Those completing the class may take an examination to become a beekeeper certified by the South Carolina Beekeepers Association. Registration also includes membership in the Pickens County Beekeepers Association, whose members offer support and mentoring to its members.

For more information and to receive registration forms, contact Cyndi Banks at pcbanews@hotmail.com. The deadline for registration is Jan. 23. People interested in beekeeping are invited to join the association, which meets at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month at the Pickens Presbyterian Church. Visit the PCBA website for more details.