The properties of small-sized high density InAs/GaAs quantum dots (emitting at 1.25 eV) are studied by means of optically detected microwave resonance spectroscopy and time resolved photoluminescence techniques. The results are discussed in terms of trapping and thermal escape of the carriers as well as their relaxation and recombination in quantum dots. The data are compared with those recently obtained on shallowly formed InAs quantum dot structures.