We investigated the effects of environmental factors and immature density on the productivity of Aedes aegypti, and the hypothesis that larvae were under nutritional stress. We found 3,632 pupae in 1,367 containers with water in 624 premises in Salinas, Puerto Rico (May - July, 2004), and most female pupae (70%) were in 5 out of 16 containers types. Those containers were unattended and influenced by local yards’ environmental conditions. Pupae were significantly associated with number of trees per premise, water volume, and lower temperatures. Immature abundance was larger in containers with leaf litter or algae. Pupal productivity and biomass of emerging females varied with leaf litter species. We found a positive association between numbers of larvae and pupae of Ae. aegypti, and a negative relationship between larval density and mass of emerging females. Factor analysis suggested that: 1- food limitation and/or competition existed in an important number of containers, and 2- there was lack of negative larval density effects in containers with a larger water volume and lower temperatures, where emerging females were not under nutritional stress. Corroborating evidence for food limitation and/or intraspecific competition effects came from our observations that females emerging in the field had an average body mass comparable to those females produced in the laboratory with the lowest feeding regime. Aedes aegypti larvae in Salinas are most likely influenced by resource limitation, competition, and rainfall in unmanaged containers and the absence of aquatic predators.