This tiny, little-known snail is listed as ‘Threatened’ in the states of Michigan and Wisconsin (3) (4) (5). Its populations are small and isolated, and appear to have quite specific habitat requirements, making the cherrystone drop particularly vulnerable to any changes in its local environment (2) (5) (7). Its small size and low mobility also mean that it would not easily re-colonise areas from which it has been lost (3) (7).
The main threats to the cherrystone drop are the loss and disturbance of its habitat, for example through timber harvesting, changes to the water cycle, or the dumping of rubbish (3) (5) (7). The cherrystone drop is also vulnerable to trampling by visitors at some sites (3) (4) (7), although in others it occurs on private land (3).
In Pennsylvania, an important cherrystone drop population may be threatened by a proposed highway bridge (7) (8). Although the proposed bridge was moved a short distance away to avoid disturbing a rare plant species, road salt may still wash from the highway in winter, and it may also provide a corridor for invasive species (8).