Although quantitative surveillance data for immature stages of Aedes aegypti are often used to prioritize containers or specific types of containers for control, the relationship between immature and emergent adult populations under field conditions is largely unknown. We examined the relationships between abundance of III/IV instars and pupae, and emerging adult population for a series of water storage containers in southern Vietnam. A large proportion of III/IV instars failed to progress to adulthood, and the relationships between III/IV instars and adults were poor. Collected IV instars appeared to be nutritionally deprived, although their size and nutrient levels were not reliable indicators of emergence success. Conversely, pupal abundance was a good indicator of emerging adult populations, especially over the ensuing 48-h period. Although there were clear advantages of pupal surveillance over surveillance of III/IV instars for the estimation of adult mosquito productivity, there were practical limitations associated with the enumeration of pupae, and their comparatively low densities may preclude the identification of potentially productive containers.