Evidence of THRIPS, but not thrip damage

6footer 80sativa/20indica outdoors in a windy area, and almost every leaf has a considerable amount of thrip's waste on it, those metallic shiny splotches.
Very little, if any sign of thrips damage to the plant can be seen though, with only 4 or so shoots out of 32 showing leaf deformation, and these are shoots lower to the ground, and where this occurs it is of little impact. ( thrips waste can be seen all the way up to the top though!??)

I have been told that there are thrips which target leaf buds and thrips which target flower buds. is it possible that the plant is full of flower munching thrips waiting for the thing to flower? anyone got experience with this
 
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