The data presented here comes from samples collected as part of two recent research projects (ISLANDBIODIV and MACDIV), which aimed to understand the drivers of community assembly in Macaronesian islands. We applied the sampling protocol COBRA (Conservation Oriented Biodiversity Rapid Assessment, Cardoso 2009) in ten 50 m x 50 m native forest plots in the Azorean Islands of Pico (6 plots) and Terceira (10 plots) to assess the diversity of spiders species. Through this publication we contribute to the knowledge of the arachnofauna of the Azores, and more specifically, to that of the islands of Pico and Terceira. This dataset presents data generated from spider samples collected in 16 forest plots on the Azorean islands of Pico and Terceira. Of the 40 species collected, 16 were introduced, 13 endemic, seven native (five of them Macaronesian endemics) and four undescribed species. Although most of the species had been previously recorded on both islands, two of the introduced species were recorded in Pico for the first time.

The data we present are part of the long-term project SLAM (Long Term Ecological Study of the Impacts of Climate Change in the natural forest of Azores) that aims to understand the impact of biodiversity erosion drivers on Azorean native forests. Passive flight interception SLAM traps (Sea, Land and Air Malaise trap) were used to sample forest plots in both islands, with one trap being setup at each plot. A total of twenty 50m x 50m plots were sampled in two of the islands from the archipelago, 13 in Terceira and 7 in Pico. This publication contributes not only to a better knowledge of the arachnofauna present in native forests of Terceira and Pico, but also contributes to understand the patterns of abundance and diversity both seasonally and between years.

A recent review study from 2021 presents a comprehensive checklist of ladybirds of Portugal, including the Azores and Madeira Archipelagos. Until then, the available information was very scattered and based on a single revision dating back to 1986, a few international catalogues and databases, individual records, and studies on communities of agroecosystems. However, no information is available on faunal composition across the Azorean islands and their habitats, using standardized inventory. Here, we present data about biodiversity of ladybirds and their distribution and abundance in five Islands of the Azores (São Miguel, Graciosa, Faial, Pico, and S. Jorge). Surveys included herbaceous and arboreal habitats from native to anthropogenic managed habitats: ruderal road vegetation, vegetable garden, mixed forest of endemic and non-native habitats, costal prairies, costal mixed vegetation, cornfields, urban areas, and evergreen of endemic and exotic forest. We aimed to contribute to the ongoing effort to document the terrestrial biodiversity of Portugal, including the archipelago of the Azores, within the research project AZORESBIOPORTAL–PORBIOTA (ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-000072).

This study intended to contribute to the current international directives concerning biodiversity, aiming to document and safeguard biological resources of the globe. Our objective was to present the most widely distributed and diverse taxa recorded during the sampling phase of the EDEN project (2008-2014), specifically all arthropod fauna, at all strata, within eight representative habitats of five islands of the Azores archipelago (Santa Maria, São Miguel, Terceira, Flores and Pico)