Abstract BACKGROUND Bursicon is a heterodimeric neuropeptide that is involved in many physiological activities such as cuticle tanning, wing expansion, reproduction and immunity in insects. In this study, the role of bursicon in the wing expansion was investigated in Bactrocera dorsalis , an important invasive insect pest in agriculture. RESULTS The cDNA sequences and deduced amino acids of bursicon genes (named BdBurs‐α and BdBurs‐β ) were determined, and two proteins typically contained 11 cysteine residues in conserved positions that were highly conserved in other insect species. The spatiotemporal expressions of bursicon genes showed that higher expression occurred at the pupal, early adult stage and ovaries, and lower expression at the late larval stage and in wing tissue (8‐day‐old pupae). Dysfunction of bursicon genes by dsRNA microinjection into 5‐day‐old pupae reduced PKA (a downstream component of the bursicon pathway) activity and resulted in malformed adult wings. PKA inhibitor injection into 5‐day‐old pupae also resulted in similar phenotypes. Hematoxylin & eosin staining of the adult wing showed that RNAi and PKA inhibitor treatment reduced the thickness of the wing cuticle, which wing cuticle thickness were ≈50% thinner than in the control. Furthermore, the expression of hedgehog ( Bdhh ) (one of 10 tested genes related to wing development) was significantly upregulated after RNAi and PKA inhibitor application. CONCLUSION The results indicate that bursicon plays a crucial role in the wing expansion of B . dorsalis , suggesting bursicon genes have potential to be the targets for B . dorsalis control. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.