INSECTS USED IN BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGAINST PESTS ARE OFTEN TESTED IN HIGHLY ARTIFICIAL CONDITIONS TO DETERMINE THEIR RISK TO NONTARGET SPECIES. MOST OF THESE TESTS IGNORE IMPORTANT NATURAL COMPONENTS WHICH AFFECT A BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS ABILITY TO ESTABLISH, LOCATE, AND EFFECTIVELY CONTROL THE PEST. THIS PROJECT FOCUSES ON THE ROLE OF MORE COMPLEX NATURAL COMPONENTS ON THE FORAGING AND SUCCESS OF A NEWLY INTRODUCED BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENT,TRISSOLCUS JAPONICUS(TJ) WHICH PARASITIZES EGGS OF THE INVASIVE BROWN MARMORATED STINK BUG (BMSB). IN ORDER TO MAKE EFFECTIVE RELEASES, WE NEED A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE FORAGING BEHAVIOR, DISPERSAL ABILITY, AND NONTARGET RISK FROMTJ. SINCE TJ IS NOT YET PRESENT IN MUCH OF NORTH AMERICA, RESEARCH ON THE IMPACT OF MORE NATURAL CONDITIONS IS KEY TO PREDICTING THE OUTCOMES OF TJ SPREAD AND MAKE EFFECTIVE RELEASES FOR BIOLOGICAL CONTROL. THE SPECIFIC AIMS OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO 1) DETERMINE THE HOW FORAGING BEHAVIORS AND HOST DISTRIBUTION AFFECT THE ABILITY OF TJ TO CONTROL BMSB AND 2) IDENTIFY BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTING TO RISK OF NONTARGET IMPACTS BY TJ.