Monarch Butterfly

No individual monarch butterfly completes the 3,000-mile migration loop from Mexico to Canada and back. Instead, they use a four-generation relay strategy. Generations 1-3 each live six weeks, flying 500-800 miles north, reproducing, and dying. Then comes the "Super Generation" - butterflies born in late summer that live 6-8 months instead of six weeks. They delay reproduction, fly 3,000 miles to Mexican oyamel fir forests at 10,000 feet, and navigate via magnetic and sun compasses to locations they've never visited. In spring, they fly north, reproduce, and their offspring continue the relay.

Monarchs also demonstrate evolutionary arms races in chemical defense. Caterpillars sequester cardiac glycosides from milkweed, making them toxic to most birds. Their distinctive orange-and-black aposematic coloration warns predators: "I'm poisonous." But predators reciprocally evolve tolerance - black-backed orioles can now eat monarchs despite the toxins. This illustrates the ongoing nature of arms races where prey defenses eventually get overcome by predator counter-adaptations.

The business insight: some strategies require generational handoffs where no individual sees completion. The Super Generation sacrifices reproduction for strategic positioning that benefits the next generation, not themselves. And first-mover advantages (toxic defense) erode as competitors evolve counter-strategies. Chemical defense isn't permanent protection - it's a temporary lead in an ongoing race.