Immature Culex tarsalis were stressed during 3 laboratory experiments which separately evaluated temperature, food per pan and stocking density. Rearing stress reduced immature survival, altered immature development rates, distorted sex ratios at emergence, reduced adult wing lengths and inhibited the expression of autogeny. However, marked differences were not observed in insemination rates and the reproductive performances of unstressed and stressed females. When only adult parameters were considered, no significant differences were observed among life table attributes which included female life expectancy (e), fecundity, fertility, net reproductive rate (Ro) and intrinsic rate of increase (rm ). The inclusion of egg hatch, immature survivorship, and developmental period dramatically suppressed Ro and r especially for the stressed groups. Overall, larger males and females lived longer. Both fecundity and fertility decreased as a function of female age. Cohort reproductive effort was concentrated early in life., 1xmx curves peaked on day 5. The adaptive advantages of Cx. tarsalis life history are discussed in the context of exploiting ephemeral ground water habitats and the rate of population recovery following control activities.