To obtain insects with biological characteristics similar to those of wild insects, this study evaluated the development of Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius) reared on artificial diet containing different sugar concentrations. First-instar caterpillars were fed seven artificial diets containing 0, 6.56, 13.13, 26.26, 52.52, 105.04, and 210.08 g of sugar per liter of diet. We evaluated the duration and viability of developmental stages, weight of pupae, fecundity and longevity of generations F₁, F₂, F₄, F₆, and F₈. The artificial diet containing 26.26 and 52.52 g of sugar per liter provided the greatest viability of insects (above 75%) for the egg-adult period for eight consecutive generations, and was higher (P < 0.05) than other treatments, where viability was lower than 50%. Based on the fertility life table in F₈ generation, the highest reproductive rates (Ro) were obtained in insects fed the artificial diet containing 26.26 (Ro = 126.39) and 52.52 g of sugar (Ro = 147.31). Conversely, insects to other diets presented the highest values of biological cycle duration (T = 55 d) and reductions of 50 and 90% on intrinsic rate of increase (r_m = 0.0063, 0.079, 0.077, and 0.064) and finite rate of increase (λ = 1.001, 1.082, 1.081, and 1.006), respectively. We conclude that sugar is essential for the development of D. saccharalis and that amounts of 26.26 and 52.52 g per liter of diet are suitable for the rearing and multiplication of insects in laboratory.