Blue bottle spikes gone bad?

[Melophile]

The non-pupated ones are a creamy white color, while the pupated ones are brown/reddish brown/dark brown/etc.

Then there are these guys; non-pupated with grayish tints, some are completely black (dark brown under light). Not sure whether these spikes are pupating or have just gone bad. I give them a poke with my tweezers and they are squishy, so I'm pretty sure they haven't pupated.

 

[CosbyArt]

They sure like they are dead spikes and starting to rot. Either way I'd recommend moving them to another small container if you think they are alive - that way if they are indeed dead they won't affect the current container.

 

[Ranitomeya]

If they're black and flaccid, they're dead and rotting. A spike preparing to pupate should still be firm.

 

[hibiscusmile]

ditto, all good advice, some will die in shipping, some will die reguardless , but any turning that color if soft is dead.