Hapalopus planetearth
Yasuni Bumblebee - complete care guide
Yasuni Bumblebee
Temperature
24-28 °C
Target ambient range
Humidity
70-80 %
Substrate / enclosure RH
Adult DLS
10-12 cm
Average - varies per individual
Moult interval
Sling 3-5w - Juv 1.5-2.5mo
Adult 7-11mo
Adult cycle = mature females; males never moult again after maturity
About
The Yasuni Bumblebee (Hapalopus planetearth, described 2025 from Ecuador's Yasuní - named to "celebrate life on our planet"; the trade's "planetearthi" spelling adds an unneeded "i") - dark body, red-orange legs and a crowned carapace pattern that shows even in slings. Genuinely one of the most striking recent descriptions, and priced like it (£225 slings). Warm, damp, quick-growing and flighty rather than defensive - a premium dwarf for collectors who want the newest names.
Husbandry cheat sheet
- Origin
- Ecuador (Yasuní, Amazon)
- Habitat
- Amazonian forest floor
- Temperament
- Skittish
- In your collection
- 0
Growth, lifespan & conservation
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maturity
- ♀ 26mo ♂ 18mo
- Lifespan
- ♀ 10yr ♂ 3yr
- Continent
- South America
- UK availability
- Rare in the hobby
Care Guide
Hapalopus planetearth
Yasuni Bumblebee - a complete husbandry sheet. Use as a starting point and adjust to your individual specimen.
What size enclosure does a Yasuni Bumblebee Tarantula need?
Adults
20 × 20 cm is plenty for a mature female.
Slings & Juveniles
Small tubs with 4 cm of damp substrate and a hide.
To map exact floor space and substrate safety limits for your setup, use our free interactive tarantula enclosure planner.
What temperature and humidity does a Yasuni Bumblebee Tarantula need?
Heating
The Yasuni Bumblebees is comfortable at 24-28 °C - a genuinely warm Amazonian species; UK homes need supplementary warmth for much of the year.
Humidity
70-80 %: keep the substrate slightly damp at all times; slings dry out easily.
Ventilation
Cross-ventilation with consistent humidity.
What substrate is best for a Yasuni Bumblebee Tarantula?
Recommended Mixes
Depth
4-6 cm
Notes
Moderate depth, consistently damp, holding a shallow burrow.
How do you set up a Yasuni Bumblebee Tarantula enclosure?
Décor
The Hide
A cork bark retreat plus its own shallow burrow; stays more visible than most dwarfs.
Water
A bottle cap or small dish on the surface.
Lighting
No special lighting needed.
How often should you feed a Yasuni Bumblebee Tarantula?
Good Feeders
Long refusal worrying you? Separate premoult fasting from genuine problems with our "Is my T okay?" checker.
Is my Yasuni Bumblebee Tarantula dying or moulting?
Pre-moult signs to look for
Refusing food for weeks is normal before a moult - a healthy Yasuni Bumblebee Tarantula fasting is almost never an emergency in itself. Watch for slowing down and spending more time in the hide, laying a thick moult mat of web on the floor. New World species like this one often show a bald spot on the abdomen that darkens to near-black as the new skin underneath readies - a darkening bald patch is a reliable countdown, not a disease.
On its back is MOULTING, not dying
A Yasuni Bumblebee Tarantula lying upside down or on its side with legs curled inwards is almost certainly mid-moult. Do not touch it, do not right it, do not mist it - just remove any live prey (crickets can kill a defenceless moulter) and leave the room.
How long between moults?
For this species, expect a moult roughly every 18-36 days for spiderlings, every 45-75 days for juveniles, and every 100-160 days for sub-adults, with adult females moulting around every 6.7 months (up to 10.7 months at the extreme). Males never moult again after their ultimate (mature) moult.
After the moult: fang hardening time
The new exoskeleton stays soft, with fangs that cannot grip, for roughly 5 days in this species. Offer no food and no handling for about 7 days - feeding too early is how fresh moulters get injured. The shed exuvium is also the best sexing tool there is - see our tarantula sexing guide for what to look for.
Genuinely worried about behaviour that is not moulting? Our "Is my T okay?" triage tool walks the danger signs one by one.
What ongoing care does a Yasuni Bumblebee Tarantula need?
🪞 Moulting
Moults in the retreat or burrow. Do not disturb; keep humidity steady and prey out; wait 3-5 days post-moult (dwarfs harden fast) before feeding. Adult intervals apply to mature females - males never moult after their ultimate moult.
🧹 Cleaning
Refresh the water dish weekly; spot clean boluses.
✋ Handling
Flighty and fast - observe, do not handle.
What are the most common mistakes when keeping Yasuni Bumblebee Tarantulas?
✓ What They Love
- Warm and consistently moist (not wet)
- Small prey for a dwarf
- Cross-ventilation
- A hide plus anchor points
- Escape-proofing - it will bolt when startled
✕ Common Mistakes
- Letting slings dry out - they desiccate fast
- Large prey
- Cool rooms - a genuinely warm species
- Expecting calm - flighty, not defensive
Keep exploring: related care guides
More ground-dwelling species and close relatives from our full library:
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Argentinian Bronze Birdeater
Terrestrial - full guide →
Acanthoscurria geniculata
Brazilian Giant White Knee
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Acanthoscurria musculosa
Black Velvet Rump
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Acanthoscurria natalensis
Natal Brown Birdeater
Terrestrial - full guide →
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