There appears to be no place (at least in Europe) that is not suffering from at least light population degradation. Many studies in the UK (where population loss is most severe) and several studies from other areas of Europe state that the small pearl-bordered fritillary is rapidly declining in numbers. This is likely from indirect harm due to habitat destruction and fragmentation. Since this species is primarily attached to violet that grows in wild grasslands, modern agricultural practices which have caused most of Europe's grasslands to become fragmented or destroyed for farmland have a severe effect on the butterfly. Without native violets to host their larvae, this species is facing decline across Europe. This species also struggles with breeding across habitat fragments as it must lay eggs exclusively on violets in order to have any viable offspring. However, adults seem to be quite flexible in their movement patterns, with one study stating that only 45% of released "Boloria selene" specimens were able to be found and recaptured. This indicates that farmland itself appears to more strongly damage reproduction rates instead of general adult survival.