Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (commonly called Brazilian pepper or peppertree) is an invasive shrub that grows aggressively, often forming dense monotypic stands which can out shade and outcompete native vegetation for resources such as light or nutrients. It is one of Florida’s worst upland invasive plant species, and as such, has been the target of biological control programs for many years. After years of studies on its safety and biology, the classical biological control agent, Pseudophilothrips ichini (a thrips), was approved for release in Florida. Since releases began in 2019, over 5 million thrips have been released in selected areas around the state. However, establishment and persistence of the thrips have not been observed at all release sites despite niche model predictions finding most of peninsular Florida to be climatically suitable. In this study, I am investigating which abiotic factors might have the greatest influence on P. ichini thrips establishment and persistence through site-level microclimate monitoring. To do this, I selected sixteen individual Brazilian peppertrees in two different locations and two different habitats (wetland and upland). Each tree received a total of 7,000 thrips, released in subsets over a four-month period (July-October 2022). Preliminary data suggests that thrips abundance and persistence may be influenced by habitat type, soil moisture levels, and mean temperature. Information on the preferred habitat or abiotic conditions of the thrips can be used to inform researchers and land managers where release efforts should be concentrated for the best chances of establishment success.