Broken Arrow School ordered some ladybugs to use in science classes.

But it instead received a different kind of bug: E. coli.

Because of a shipping error, a package of material containing “Escherichia coli K-12 slant culture” was mistakenly delivered Monday to the school, causing some concern, according to Principal Brian McCaffrey.

School officials were relieved to learn the little vial that showed up was a harmless strain of E. coli commonly used for observation under a microscope by students.

A different strain, E. coli 0157:H7, is a cause of foodborne illness that can lead to bloody diarrhea and occasionally kidney failure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We took precautions so the kids were safe here,” McCaffrey said. “Safety is the very first thing we want to have here at Broken Arrow.”

He said he contacted people at the district’s administrative offices, who took the package away and disposed of it with bleach.

“Students were never in any danger,” Supt. Randy Weseman said. “When we noticed it was the wrong shipment, we got the district’s science people over there.”

Parents were sent a letter from McCaffrey, informing them about the incident.

The district also provided a letter from the company, Carolina Biological Supply Co. of Burlington, N.C.

A letter faxed to the district said the E. coli K-12 strain is classified as Biosafety Level/Shipping Class I and is “nonpathogenic.” It provided instructions for safely disposing of it.

Meanwhile, the school is still waiting for the ladybugs.

“I suppose all of us, at one time or another, have ordered one thing and received another,” Weseman said. “In this particular case, it was a far cry from ladybugs.”