The main character in the story is William Legrand, a man who lives at Sullivan's Island, near Charleston, South Carolina, to escape from his misfortunes. Legrand discovers a brilliant gold-colored bug, but lends it out to someone else. When his friend, the narrator of the story, visits Legrand, he is told about the rare bug with a death's-head on its back, and Legrand draws him a picture of the bug on a piece of paper