The dependence of the optical properties of InAs/GaAs quantum dot ͑QD͒ bilayers on seed layer growth temperature and second layer InAs coverage is investigated. As the seed layer growth temperature is increased, a low density of large QDs is obtained. This results in a concomitant increase in dot size in the second layer, which extends their emission wavelength, reaching a saturation value of around 1400 nm at room temperature for GaAs-capped bilayers. Capping the second dot layer with InGaAs results in a further extension of the emission wavelength, to 1515 nm at room temperature with a narrow linewidth of 22 meV. Addition of more InAs to high density bilayers does not result in a significant extension of emission wavelength as most additional material migrates to coalesced InAs islands but, in contrast to single layers, a substantial population of regular QDs remains.