Larval stress alters dengue virus susceptibility in Aedes aegypti (L.) adult females.

•Larval crowding and nutritional deprivation impact a suite of life history traits in adult Aedes aegypti.•Stress-reared A. aegypti exhibit lower levels of susceptibility to dengue virus serotype-2, smaller bodies, and longer developmental times than cohorts reared under optimal conditions.•Mosquitoes reared under optimal laboratory conditions may not always serve as realistic proxies for natural populations in studies of vector-pathogen interactions.