any hairs poppin out of them? or previously? if so, not balls.
female preflowers, which is what would grow in that location at a node, remain a pair per node (or if asymmetrical growth has started 1 per node). If more develop, you know it's male. they also project from a twig-like branch whereas female bit will remain in nook of node without any projction from a twig.
you have lots of time from the point of spotting something and it being able to producce viable pollen. no worries. These look female, but i don't see any what hair popping out, which is weird.. if they are older that can happen as the calyx is no longer able to receive pollen at that point. looks like it turned purple-ish, which means it's fairly old growth. if it ere male it would have opened up so i think the hair just died/coiled up.