The EU is planning to weaken GMO requirements with a new regulation for new GMOs, referred to as ‘new genomic techniques’. If this goes through, there would be no more prior safety checks, mandatory traceability, or on-package labelling for new GMOs. www.blacked-out-ingredients.eu/en/take-acti...

De afgelopen 8(!) jaar is bij hommels een afname van 40% waargenomen! Op mijn balkon heb ik o.a. hondsdraf en smeerwortel staan, favorieten en waarschijnlijk de reden dat ik vorig jaar een akkerhommelnest op m'n balkon had. Dit jaar iig weer bezoek 💛 www.naturetoday.com/intl/nl/natu...

Today, April 22nd, is Earth Day. On this day I want to share some drawings from my perpetual diary. Earth is our home, the only one we've got and we should treat her better. She is so beautiful and I wouldn't trade her for any other rock in the universe 🌍 🐾🐸🌸🐚🦋🌱🐝🐦

Wederom geen goed nieuws.

Comfrey (smeerwortel) on my balcony and at the Vondelpark. Bees love it and so do I 🌸🐝 Spring truly is my favourite time of the year. Nature turning green, the smell of blossoms, the first butterflies, bees, beetles... Can't wait for more 💗💚 #spring #savethebees #organicgardening #melissahalley

Sorry, I've been a bit quiet here 🙃 Let me make up to you by sharing what I've been watching every evening from Feb. 12th to about March 20th 🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛ P.S. a big group slept in the gardens behind my house ♡ #starling #murmuration #birdlove #melissahalley

Having so many starlings around every evening resulted into a new lino print 😊🐦‍⬛ It's printed on A4 (21x29,7 cm) off white Hahnemühle paper, in an edition of only 30 prints and they are ready for adoption for just €35,- (excl. 💌) #linoprint #starling #murmuration #birdart #melissahalley

The 15th and last watercolour in this series is the Poplar admiral (Limenitis populi) 🦋 In Dutch it's called 'Grote IJsvogelvlinder', which would translate to 'great kingfisher butterfly'.

The 14th watercolour in this series of 15 is the Pearly heath (Coenonympha arcania) 🦋 In Dutch called 'Tweekleurig hooibeestje' 🦋 Hint about the series theme: 1988 🦋 Painted true size in a 10x10 cm black square 🦋 . . . . . #watercolour #butterfly #pearlyheath #coenonymphaarcania #melissahalley

A few days ago these two (rose-ringed parakeets) visted my balcony checking out the place for food. Every few hours I leave some peanuts for the birds but the magpies and jackdaws are always ahead of them 😅 #linoprint #roseringedparakeet #birdart #inspiredbynature #melissahalley

HAPPY HIBERNATION!! And a happy newyear 😉🐭💤🥂🎐✨️ #happynewyear #newyearprint #hazeldormouse #iwishicouldhibernate #melissahalley

The 13th, and last watercolour I finished this year is the Small Blue (Cupido minimus) 🦋 In Dutch 'Dwerg blauwtje' = Dwarf blue 🦋 Hint about the series theme: 1984. Painted true size in a 10x10 cm black square 🦋 #watercolour #butterfly #smallblue #cupidomimimus #dwergblauwtje #melissahalley

The 12th watercolour in this series is the Marsh Fritillary, or Euphydryas aurinia 🦋 In Dutch Moerasparelmoervlinder. Hint about the series theme: 1982 🦋 Painted true size in a 10x10 cm black square 🦋 #watercolour #butterfly #marshfritillary #euphydryasaurinia #moerasparelmoervlinder #melissahalley

The 11th watercolour in this series is the Idas Blue, in Dutch: Vals heideblauwtje 🦋 Hint about the series theme: 1981 🦋 All butterflies in this series are painted true size in a 10x10 cm square 🦋 #watercolour #butterfly #idasblue #plebejusidas #valsheideblauwtje #savetheinsects #melissahalley

Today, November 30th is 'Remembrance Day for Lost Species'. For the past months I've been working on a series that depict the 15 butterfly species lost to the Netherlands over the past 80 years 🦋 These are the first 12 🦋 www.lostspeciesday.org #lostspeciesday #watercolour #butterfly #melissahalley

The 9th watercolour in this series is the Red Underwing Skipper (Dutch: Kalkgraslanddikkopje). Hint about the series theme: 1976. Painted true size in a 10x10 cm black square 🦋 #watercolour #butterfly #redunderwingskipper #spialiasertorius #kalkgraslanddikkopje #lookforbeauty #melissahalley

Working on butterfly nr. 13 of 15 🦋 It has a wingspan of only 1,8 cm and all butterflies in this series are painted true size 🙀 . #watercolour #butterfly #smallblue #cupidominimus #dwergblauwtje #melissahalley

We're halfway November and these are still (kinda) blooming on my balcony: Cornflower (top), Blue bonnet (right), Cranesbill (left), Orange coneflower (middle) and some Chamomille (bottom) 🌼 . . . . . #autumn #savethepollinators #organicplants #lookforbeauty #inspiredbynature #melissahalley

The 8th watercolour in this series is the Black-veined White, Aporia Crataegi or in Dutch: Groot geaderd witje 🦋 Hint about the series theme: 1975 🦋 Painted true size in a 10x10 cm black square 🦋 #watercolour #butterfly #blackveinedwhite #aporiacrataegi #grootgeaderdwitje #melissahalley

Happy Halloween/ Samhain everyone!! 🎃🦉🧙🏻‍♀️🔮🕷🍷🧛🏻‍♀️🦇🔪🧟‍♀️🐈‍⬛🌕🐺🍁

Working on #10 of my watercolour series that depict the 15 butterfly species lost to the Netherlands over the past 80 years 🦋 . #watercolour #butterfly #savetheinsects #savethepollinators #organicgardening #nopesticides #noinsecticides #lookforbeauty #inspiredbynature #protectnature #melissahalley

Last month I found a small part of a wasp's nest. Just a very thin papery 'skin'. Very delicate and beautiful 🐝 #summer #wasp #waspnest #watercolor #sketchbook #foundtreasures #inspirationalwalk #forest #forestwalk #inspiredbynature #nature #protectnature #melissahalley

The 7th watercolour in this series is the Pearl-bordered Fritillary 🦋 In Dutch called 'Zilvervlek', which translates to silver spot. Hint about the series theme: 1969 🦋 Painted true size in a 10x10 cm black square 🦋 #watercolour #pearlborderedfritillary #boloriaeuphrosyne #zilvervlek #melissahalley

The season is changing, which also means the bumblebee season is drawing to an end 🍁 Last week I noticed some Common Carder bee queens and males on my balcony, probably from the nest beneath my ivy 💗🎉 I'm going to miss "my" bumbles 💔🐝 🐝 #summer #autumn #bumblebee #lookforbeauty #melissahalley

The 6th watercolour in this series is the Mourning Cloak (North America) or Camberwell Beauty (Britain). In Dutch it's called 'Rouwmantel', which translates to mourning cloak. #watercolour #butterfly #mourningcloak #camberwellbeauty #nymphalisantiopa #rouwmantel #melissahalley

I have at least 5 of these on my balcony. Weaving webs from pot to pot, pot to balcony fence, clothes line to ceiling and across the walking area. The latter I always try to move which sometimes works, sometimes not so much 🕷🕸 #araneusdiadematus #kruisspin #europeangardenspider #crossorbweaver

The 5th watercolour in this series is the Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Purperstreepparelmoervlinder). Hint about the series theme: 1962 🦋 Painted true size on a 10x10 cm black square 🦋 . . . #watercolour #butterfly #lessermarbledfritillary #brenthisino #savetheinsects #melissahalley

Just finished reading 'Wilding' by Isabella Tree. Very interesting and now I need a bigger balcony 😉

Zo doe je dat als de uitslag van een onderzoek niet bevalt: www.vlinderstichting.nl/actueel/nieu...

Don't just look up for birds and butterflies. Look down too because these babies are out and about 🐸

Look at the Honeysuckle go! All this on my Amsterdam balcony 💚 At night I can smell the blooming flowers all the way in my living room 🌸🌸 #honeysuckle #lonicerapericlymenum #kamperfoelie

Nice crowd at my balcony 🐝🌸🌼

The 4th watercolour in this series is the False Heath Fritillary (Woudparelmoervlinder). Hint about the series theme: 1960 🦋 Painted true size in a 10x10 cm black square 🦋 . . . #watercolour #butterfly #falseheathfritillary #melitaeadiamina #woudparelmoervlinder #savetheinsects #melissahalley

Every morning I enjoy this view, a Common carder bee comming home 🐝😍 This spring a queen has build her nest in a big flowerpot on my balcony. It's partly beneath the ivy (hedera helix). Guess she was happy with both the comfrey (next to the ivy) and the straw/ fallen leaves I use for mulch.

Time to work on the 4th watercolour of this 15 part series, the False heath fritillary 🦋 Again so small!! 😅 #watercolour #butterfly #falseheathfritillary #melitaeadiamina #woudparelmoervlinder #melissahalley

Dit stemt mij heel droevig 😢 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

The 3rd watercolour in this series is the Scarce Heath (Zilverstreephooibeestje) Hint about the series theme: 1959 🦋 Painted true size in a 10x10 cm black square 🦋 #watercolour #butterfly #scarceheath #coenonymphahero #zilverstreephooibeestje #savetheinsects #melissahalley

These are so small!! Its total wingspan is only 3,4 cm. The smallest butterfly of this 15 part series is going to be 1,8 cm. How?! 😳🦋😅 #watercolour #butterfly #scarceheath #coenonymphahero #zilverstreephooibeestje #melissahalley

Working on the third watercolour in this 15 part series, the Scarce Heath (Zilverstreephooibeestje) 🦋 #watercolour #butterfly #scarceheath #coenonymphahero #zilverstreephooibeestje #melissahalley

1) Today, May 22nd, is International Day for Biodiversity. As far as biodiversity goes the Netherlands is not doing well. More and more species are in danger or have disappeared.

Vandaag, 22 mei, is het de Internationale Dag van de Biodiversiteit. Hoe doet Nederland het? Dat wordt bijgehouden op Nationaal Dashboard Biodiversiteit:

Nog even in het kader van Wereld Bijendag gisteren:

Today is World Bee Day 🐝 Bees (and insects in general) are having a hard time with herbicides, pesticides, habitat loss and climate change.

This morning I had a couple of bumbles having a little nap on my balcony 💛 Among them this little Early Bumblebee, Bombus pratorum or in Dutch Weidehommel 💛🐝 #spring #savethebees #savetheinsects #savethepollinators #organicplants #organicgardening #nopesticides #noinsecticides #melissahalley

Het hele fragment (of de hele uitzending) terugkijken is de moeite waard. De distelvlinder, klimaat, grenzen, vluchtelingen, het is allemaal één verhaal 🦋

This past week was so much fun. Thanks to everyone who came by, thanks @oskarmaarleveld.bsky.social for letting us use your studio and most of all, thank you Saskia Lensink, @lindarusconi.bsky.social and @edithbrouwer.bsky.social for yet another amazing week. #BlikOpWG #blikopdebuurt #melissahalley

Friday morning I added my last drawing to the wall. Want to see what Saskia Lensink @lindarusconi.bsky.social @edithbrouwer.bsky.social and I created? Only today, Saturday, between 12 and 5 at: Marius van Bouwdijk Bastiaansestraat 183 #BlikOpWG #blikopdebuurt #wgterreinamsterdam #melissahalley

Deze vrijdag en zaterdag!! 🌳💚🌳

As I suspected I ended up drawing these two platanus hispanica multiple times this week. I did some research and found out they were planted in 1891!! That makes them at least 134 years old! They have a diameter of 1.0 to 1.5 meter and are between 18 to 24 meters high.