Well, I have to say, caterpillars are actually totally alright. And those of you who know the difficult relationship between us ants and the butterfly larvae – caterpillars often impersonate ant larvae and infiltrate our ant nests, which is simply outrageous! – will also know how hard it is for me to admit this.

But a visit to the BBI construction site this summer made me even more convinced that you shouldn’t always rely on your own clichés. At least not when it comes to the two caterpillar cranes that have been working here on the construction site for the new Capital Airport BBI for the past few weeks. These two really do deserve a great deal of respect.

Idle? As if! They’re almost as hard-working as us ants!

Admittedly slightly bigger and heavier: 60 lorries were needed just for assembling a single caterpillar crane. But now they’re in operation. And boy are they working hard! Mounting each steel component bit by bit for the roof of the BBI Terminal. A spectacle not to be missed from the BBI Infotower as this is by no means an easy task: the total weight of the terminal roof, which is scheduled for completion in spring next year, is 10,000 tons.

Respect! I did think about inviting the caterpillars to the ant nest for a cold drink when they’re done. I just don’t know what Antonia will say when she finds out a caterpillar is coming to visit.

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