Have you eaten pumpkin or squash blossoms? They only keep of an hour or two, so pick them and eat  raw in a salad or quickly dip them in tempura batter and deep fat fry.

The above photo is of a female pumpkin blossom. Note the large center (stigma) that receives the pollen. The blossom is found at the base of the vine and you can see the tiny pumpkin just behind the blossom. If the blossom is not pollinated, the small pumpkin will shrivel up. If it is pollinated it will start growing!

The above photo is of a male pumpkin blossom. Note the small center (stamen) that has the pollen. The blossom is found on long spindly stems. So the bees or other insects must visit the male blossom at the correct time, pick up some pollen (accidently) and then fly to the female blossom and deposit the pollen (accidently) on all of the stigma in order for the female blossom to fruit. It's unbelievable what it takes to make a Jack-O-Lantern or pumpkin pie! For those of you who want to try hand pollinating, go to the web for directions.