Red-headed cardinal beetle (likely)

Moist woodland, hedgerows, parks, and gardens, especially beneath loose bark, fallen timber, and leaf litter. It is widespread in Europe and often associated with decaying hardwood.

Adults eat small insects, mites, and other soft-bodied invertebrates; some also consume nectar or pollen. Larvae are predatory beneath bark and in decaying wood.

Usually active from spring through summer, often on logs or vegetation. Females lay eggs in bark crevices; larvae develop under bark and overwinter before pupating.

Harmless to people and not a structural-wood pest. Both larvae and adults help suppress small invertebrates and contribute to decomposition-related woodland food webs.