<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0305</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-04-20</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001156295</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SERACARE LIFE SCIENCES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SRLS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001252546</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HRUSOVSKY E KEVIN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O SERACARE LIFE SCIENCES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>37 BIRCH STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MILFORD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>01757</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
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            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-04-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2739</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
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                <value>2.73</value>
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                <value>2012-04-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
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                    <value>3750</value>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-11-16</value>
            </expirationDate>
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                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3750</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11250</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-11-16</value>
            </expirationDate>
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                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>11250</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.86</value>
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            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-04-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
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                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7890</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-11-17</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>7890</value>
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    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of February 12, 2012, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of February 27, 2012, among SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc., Project Plasma Holdings Corporation and Project Plasma Merger Corp. (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;), each share of SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc.'s common stock was exchanged for $4.00 in cash, without interest and less any applicable withholding taxes.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Pursuant to its terms, the stock option accelerated and became fully vested as of the closing of the merger.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This stock option is fully vested.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each stock option was cancelled in the merger in exchange for the right to receive an amount in cash, without interest, equal to the product of the number of shares issuable upon the exercise of such stock option and $4.00 minus the exercise price of such stock option, less any applicable withholding taxes.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Gregory A. Gould, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-04-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
