Peridomestic water containers such as livestock water troughs are considered important reservoirs of mosquito larvae. This study identified environmental factors that favored seasonal abundance and relative frequency of yellow fever mosquito (Ae. aegypti Linnaeus, 1762; Diptera: Culicidae) larvae in suburban livestock drinking-water troughs at La Paz, Mexico. Water was sampled (n = 280) each week by dipping from five water troughs and two sentinels during a 14-month (2015–2016) period. Overall frequency of Ae. aegypti in all samples was 57.5%, with a mean of 21.4 larvae per liter. Few larvae were found during summer and autumn (21.8 ± 3.8 and 29.1 ± 4.7 per liter, respectively), with fewest during winter (1.4 ± 1.0). Water samples from troughs containing Ae. aegypti larvae had significantly greater turbidity (p = 0.02), water-dissolved oxygen (p < 0.001), and total solids (p < 0.001) than did samples without mosquitoes. Average number and frequency of larvae per liter were positively and significantly (p = 0.05) correlated with water temperature. Changes in water temperature influenced the relative percentage of Ae. aegypti larvae approximately 1 month later. The model NL = - 37.27 0.68 WT, where NL was the number of larvae per liter and WT was water temperature explained the relationship (R² = 0.46, p = 0.03). The water troughs provided conditions that supported proliferation of mosquito larvae, especially Ae. aegyti. In water troughs where Ae. aegypti larvae were established, water temperature was most closely correlated to abundance and frequency of the larvae.